Expelled
by NewmanYHC
Summary: Thinking isn't something Clary has ever been good at. Her big mouth gets her in trouble more often and not, and she can't seem to get anything under control. So when she gets expelled and is sent to a place that seems like a totally different world, will it be just as bad, or can the people she meets actually change things for the better? M for language.
1. Chapter 1 - what were you thinking?

**Well, here it goes! This story is one that just popped into my head, so I'm winging it as I go. There isn't really a game plan to it, so if you all want to review, talk about what would be interesting in the story, I'll take it into consideration. No guarantees that all the ideas will be used, but I'll try my best!**

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Clary should've known that he would react this way. All of the yelling, screaming, complaining. He was stomping around, dropping a number of curse words and profanities here and there. Surprisingly, he hadn't actually directed much of it at her. He was more ranting to himself, although Clary didn't really pay him much attention so she didn't have clue what he was going on about. But either way, it wasn't as bad as she prepared herself for so far. In fact, she even expected worse. Maybe a fist through a wall? A chair flying across the room to crash through the window? Clary could've sworn that there was smoke coming out of his head and thought that it would explode at any minute, and when he turned towards her, she prepared herself with a deep breath.

"YOU GOT YOURSELF EXPELLED?"

Clary sighed as her father yelled, asking rhetorical questions in an extremely loud voice. He was pacing back and forth in the living room, acting like a tempered child. She dropped her head in her hands, just waiting for the moment to pass so she could get a word in.

Finally she got her chance. "Clarissa, what the hell were you thinking?"

She looked up and found her father in front of her. His arms were crossed over his chest, rumpling his suit that he had on for the football game that night. The anger was still apparent in his voice and Clary knew she had to choose her words carefully if she wanted to live through this moment.

So she leaned back on the couch until she was slouching, putting her hands in her lap and looking down at them. "Dad, she pissed me off. I just reacted."

"You were being an idiot," he said quickly. "Acting like an incompetent child. Did you not think this through? Did you not think about the consequences?"

"Of course I didn't," Clary shot back, glaring up at her father. His eyes widened at her tone, and she dropped her voice back down to avoid any more of his anger. "If I thought about it, I wouldn't have punched her."

Valentine sighed deeply, like he was exasperated. "Clarissa, I didn't raise you to be so… impetuous."

Clary rolled her eyes. Although he didn't deliberately make her like this, the reason that she doesn't put up with anyone's shit is because of him. It's because of him that she acts without thinking. It's because of him she goes off the rails so easily. And she could accept that. It was hard to keep it under control all the time, but her family is known for overreacting. It's not her fault that she acts before she thinks.

"Do you have any idea how this looks? How this affects the family?"

"Of course, your reputation always comes first, doesn't it?" Clary said with venom in her voice.

Her father slit his eyes at her tone. But no way in hell was she taking that back. "Not always, but you know that this doesn't help me. And what about your brother? Do you think Jonathan likes walking around North Alicante while people whisper about his sister behind his back?"

"Okay, let's get something straight." Valentine frowned, but didn't say anything. "Dad, Jonathan is a big boy and can handle himself. If it wasn't for his girlfriend's constant antagonism towards me, all this wouldn't be happening. I've told her on countless occasions to leave me the hell alone, but she thinks that she has some higher power over me because she's dating my brother. If you want me to apologize for sticking up for myself, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Honestly, I couldn't give a rat's ass about Kaelie Dermon, your football team or your damned reputation."

"That. Is. Enough."

Clary swallowed as she realized what she said. Holy shit. Sometimes she wanted to slap herself for her lack of thinking. Why was it so hard to stop herself from talking? She's going to dig herself a hole she can't get out of one of these days.

Her father was doing that thing, standing very still like he wasn't even breathing. This wasn't the first time she talked crap about him and Jonathan, and every time she did it never ended well. She really should've watched what she was saying. But sometimes she just couldn't help it. The words just spill out like they have a mind of their own. The worst part:

She meant every word.

She didn't give a damn about his reputation. She couldn't give two shits about her father's football record, his reputation, or anything to do with North Alicante. Everything about that school pissed her off, including her brother most of the time. Sure, they got along way better than her and her father did, but sometimes, she just needed a break. She couldn't handle all the pressure of being known as Valentine's daughter or Jonathan's little sister. Although the first one was more often than the other. It was like all of her movements were begin watched, and now that she knocked Kaelie out in the middle of the hallway with more than enough eyes watching, she was sure that her name would be spoken even more than before.

But she wasn't really sorry about it. Kaelie deserved to have her nose broken.

The couch next to her shifted as Valentine sat down beside her. Clary tensed, wondering if he was still as angry or before, but his voice had lowered to a decent octave as he asked:

"So, East Alicante?"

It took a minute to realize what he was talking about, but when she did, she nodded and looked down to the floor. "Yeah. It's the closest school, even though it's your rival."

A silence fell over the two of them as they sat on the couch. Clary knew exactly what her father was contemplating. East Alicante was the last place that he wanted her to go. Although she had a feeling it was mainly because of the head football coach. Clary didn't even know the guy's name. All she knew was that her father had some kind of quarrel with the man, although Clary never really understood what it was about. She normally avoided anything that had to do with football, her family, and East or North Alicante. In fact, she tried her best to avoid the conversations in general. The only time she ever went to the games was because of Jonathan. If he had some kind of scout there, she'd go to support him. Even after all the fighting they've done, she'd still be there for him and Sebastian. Other than that, she hated football as much as she hated Kaelie.

And that was saying something.

Now though, Jonathan probably hated her, really hated her. She could only imagine his reaction when Kaelie told him what happened. Clary looked down at her watch, and frowned. It had been two hours since the expulsion, and Jonathan hadn't said a word. No texts. No missed calls. No voice-mails. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I'm not happy about this," her father said in a low voice. He was looking forward towards the entertainment center, his hair falling into his eyes.

Clary nodded and kept her eyes to the floor. "I know."

"But I don't have a choice. On Monday, you'll be transferred to East Alicante." He said it like it was the most awful thing in the world. "What are the arrangements I have to do?"

"I can handle everything. Principle Starkweather said he'd send most of the information to East this weekend. All I need to do is be in the principal's office by nine A.M. on Monday morning."

Her father, much to her surprise, dropped his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees. "Clarissa, just don't be stupid, okay?"

Well, what was that supposed to mean? "Dad, I don't–"

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?"

Uh oh. Clary looked up, looking to the front door as it burst open. In came her brother, Jonathan, looking like a volcano ready to explode. It's like thinking about him had summoned him up.

Great.

His white hair was messy, falling into his eyes where his navy snapback didn't cover. His body was covered in North's training football gear: a white t-shirt with the navy letters and navy shorts. In his hand was a phone, and when his dark eyes fell on Clary, she was actually frightened of her brother.

"Calm down, mate."

She'd never been so happy to hear that British voice in her life. Sebastian Verlac's hand descended on Jonathan's shoulder, holding him back when he started to stalk towards Clary. He was dressed similarly to Jonathan, but unlike her brother, his eyes were sympathetic and sad. And his presence made her feel safe, not threatened.

"I'll leave you three to talk." Her father stood up, brushing off his pants as he walked towards the front door. "I'll see you two at in the locker room in an hour. Don't you dare be late." Sebastian nodded in response, and then Valentine was out the door, closing it behind him.

She had never wanted to hug Sebastian so bad in her life. When he met her eyes and gave her a sad smile, she felt more relieved than ever. At least she knew that if Jonathan lost his cool, Sebastian would be there to handle him. Because even though Clary was pretty good at defending herself, Jonathan was still too strong to stop, not to mention how he tended to act out of impulse when he was angry, a trait that they both shared.

Clary rose to her feet as Jonathan did nothing but glare at her. It was like being held at gun point. Even the slightest bit of movement could've set her brother off.

"Why?" Was all that Jonathan said. He took a few steps forward, and Clary would've stepped back if Sebastian wouldn't have followed him onto the living room carpet. "Why they hell would you do that? What could she have done to deserve that?"

"She was being a bitch, like always," Clary spat. "You're girlfriend isn't as perfect as you think she is. She started the damn thing. I was just shutting her slutty mouth."

"Stop lying! She never did anything to hurt you!"

"Alright, both of you shut up," Sebastian said in a calm voice, cutting off Clary's response. "Sit down on the couch, shut the hell up, and listen."

After what felt like an eternity of eye contact with her brother, Clary sat back on the couch. Jonathan did as well, but he stayed as far away from her as possible, practically sitting on the arm rest to keep the distance. It hurt knowing he was pretty much choosing his girlfriend over his sister, but Clary had expected that. This wasn't the first fight they'd had about Kaelie, and she was sure that it wouldn't be the last. Not with the blonde's bitchiness still in the picture.

All she wanted to do was just grab Jonathan and shake him until he realized how stupid he was being. Surely he could've seen all the flaws in Kaelie's fake personality! But obviously, he was as blind as the other hormonal apes running around her school.

Well, her old school.

Sebastian stepped up to them, sticking his foot on the couch cushion between them and looking down at them. Clary didn't know what was worse – having Sebastian lecture her or her father. "Alright, listen up. We all know that Kaelie can be a bitch at times–"

"Hey, I–"

"Shut up Jonathan," Sebastian pointed his finger at him, and Clary's brother shut up. "You have bigger things to worry about than your girlfriend and your sister fighting it out in the hallway. We have a game to deal with tonight, and Macintosh isn't going to be a walkover. Do you really want to deal with your dad's anger at losing on top of your girlfriend complaining about your sister? If so, keep talking."

Jonathan glared at him but said nothing.

"Exactly. And Clary," She looked up, meeting Sebastian's dark eyes, "I'm just going to ask it straight up: What the hell were you thinking?"

"She wasn't," Jonathan mumbled.

"I don't have to explain myself to you." Clary leaned back on the couch casually, shoving her hands in her jeans pockets. "What happened is between me and Kaelie. You two weren't involved."

"Kaelie is my girlfriend, so I am involved."

"Can I please slap him?" Clary asked no one in particular. Between the glaring, the choosing sides, and the anger boiling in both siblings, Clary was shocked that neither of them had actually taken a swing at each other yet. They've been fighting more and more lately, and it became physical more often than not. The fact that they were sitting on the couch without swinging punches was… different.

This was all Kaelie's fault. Clary hated her on principle of course, but she had some legitimate reasons for hating the blonde bimbo. The fact that she was drawing a wedge between Clary and her brother was one of the big ones. And it wasn't just stealing Jonathan that Kaelie was interested in. For the past year, Kaelie had made it her goal in life to make Clary miserable, but she wasn't just going to take it. If she had learned anything from her father, it was to not be a pushover. She held her ground and fought back, but that only made Jonathan more and more cautious around her.

She was defending herself, only to lose those that were close to her.

It's a vicious circle!

What happened to that brother that she used to have? The one that taught her how to throw a spiral with a football? The one who would hold a pose for hours when they were little so that she could draw him? The one who used to ride bikes with her to the Dollar General Store to get candy?

Oh yeah, he got a slutty girlfriend.

"No slapping," Sebastian answered with a stern expression directed at Clary. "Now, tell me what happened."

Clary sighed, throwing her head back to stare at the ceiling. "Look, it's no secret that Kaelie and I hate each other. We've always hated each other. You could say that all the anger finally built up in me and I just snapped."

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard," Jonathan said.

"Really?" Clary snapped her head back to look at her brother. "Because your relationship is the biggest bullshit I've ever heard of. The only reason your dating her is because she puts out."

"You've got to be kidding me," Sebastian muttered. Clary watched as he balled his hands into fists and stood up straight. "Jon, go ahead and go to the field. I want to talk to your sister alone."

Jonathan's head snapped in his direction. "I'm not leaving you here, alone, with my sister."

"Now you're protective?" Clary whispered quietly enough so that no one actually heard her. That would only make things worse. So instead, she just sat there quietly after her little comment, watching the rest of the situation unfold before her. She couldn't but think about the irony of the situation. She was more comfortable around Sebastian than her own family. That was just sad.

"I just want to talk to her." To Clary's surprise, Sebastian reached forward and grabbed the front of Jonathan's shirt, pulling him up. "Now go ahead and get to the field. Clary can drive me when we're done talking."

"But–"

"Go!" and he shoved Jonathan towards the door with little kindness. Jonathan stumbled a bit, tripping over a pair of flip flops in the doorway before he stepped through the door, slamming it shut behind him.

This was going to be even worse. Clary didn't want to do this. She didn't want to be alone with Sebastian. It wasn't because he frightened her. It wasn't because he made her uncomfortable. If fact, he was her best friend. Unlike Kaelie, he never chose sides. He split his time between Clary and Jonathan evenly, and out of everything, he was the only steady thing in her life so far.

But he was also the only one that she had ever opened up to. It wasn't like she had a lot of friends. There were plenty of acquaintances at school, people that she talked to and was nice to because they simply had classes together. But Sebastian was the only person that she really hung out with, opened up to, and cared about. He was even closer to her than her own brother, which was just sad. That's what worried her at the moment. If anyone could get the information out of her: it was Sebastian.

So she just waited for him to ask the one question that she really didn't want to answer. She'd rather talk about how molecules move through permeable membranes in chemistry than discuss the situation that happened today.

Unlike Jonathan, Sebastian took the spot right next to her, their knees touching. He didn't move to touch her anywhere else, didn't look at her, and other than talking, he didn't even acknowledge her existence when he asked:

"What did she call her this time?"

He knew. He always knew. Clary should've known that he would've guessed what it was about. This wasn't the first time she was upset about something Kaelie said, and after the past year Sebastian had figured out what it was that Kaelie always said. Clary was a strong girl, something she was proud of, but there was one thing that could get under her skin and make her cringe. Sadly, Kaelie figured it out all too quickly.

A shiver went down her spine and the anger flooded through her body at the thought of Kaelie's words. Clary's hands gripped the edge of the couch in a death grip and if the fabric would've tore, Clary wouldn't even have been surprised.

A hand descended over hers when Sebastian noticed her reluctance. "Clary, you can talk to me."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "She called her a cheating tramp."

And nothing had pissed Clary off more. Her mother was someone that Clary idolized, despite her father and brother's stern hatred for her. Clary was too young to really understand what happened when her parents split, but she knew that it wasn't her mother's fault. Of all the times and memories she has of her, it was nothing but love, kindness, and care. Her father on the other hand was full of hatred, competition, and selfishness. And Jonathan… well, he was just an asshole most of the time nowadays.

She wished that her mother was here now. Sebastian was a good friend and helped in these situations, but her mother was the only one who could really make her feel better. Sebastian just made it easier to deal with it, but never made it better. But she was living in Atlanta, while Clary was stuck in the outskirts, unable to see her. Even calling her was difficult. Most of the time, some guy just answered saying that "Jocelyn is dealing with a client".

"You know that's not true, right?" Sebastian squeezed her hand and intertwined their fingers. It wasn't anything special to Clary, and she just let it happen for the comfort.

"It still gets to me. And since it came out of Kaelie's mouth, it made the insult ten times worse."

"Don't stress about it. Here, how about this." Sebastian stood up, smiling down at Clary who didn't share his excitement at all. "You come to the game. Once we beat the shit out of Macintosh, you and I can go out to Waffle House or something. Just hang out and talk about stupid shit that neither of us really care about."

"That sounds good and all, but I think I'm just going to stay in tonight." Clary rose to her feet, and when Sebastian went to say something, she interrupted him. "Seb, I know you mean well, but Kaelie will be at the game. And honestly, I couldn't care less about supporting my obnoxious father and my hate-filled brother while dealing with his devil of a girlfriend."

His face fell, but luckily he seemed to accept the fact that she wasn't going to stay there. Just painting and listening to music in the dark was all that Clary wanted at this point. It was so much better than dealing with teenagers that she couldn't stand.

The good thing about being expelled: she'd never have to see any of those assholes and bitches ever again.

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No more Kaelie. No more Jonathan. No more annoying announcements about her father's win on Friday, or the upcoming game. No more comments about her mother. No more people comparing her to Jonathan. No more comparisons. No more questions about her father, about her family, about any of it.

There wasn't going to be any more of it.

After the hours passed, Clary couldn't help but think that she should've been expelled so much sooner. That first day she met Kaelie, she should've just done it right then and there. Sure, her hand was starting to bruise now and it hurt a bit when she gripped the paint brush, but it was totally worth it. Kaelie's face after Clary punched her: priceless. The fact that she no longer had to go to school with her: even better. She'd finally get away from her father and brother for eight hours a day: perfection!

There was only one thing about North Alicante that she might actually miss. Nothing really tied her to the school. She didn't have a boyfriend. She wasn't a part of any clicks. None of her teachers were very special to her, considering she hated most of them anyway, and she stayed away from sports as much as possible.

But Sebastian… she wasn't too happy about leaving him. There was always a catch to everything, and sure enough, he was the catch. But her relationship with him was complicated. He was her brother's best friend, but her best friend too. They weren't dating, although a ton of people at school thought differently about that. Even Jonathan thought they were together at one point, but Clary would never go that road. Sure, she probably "friend zoned" him, but it would just be too weird, and she couldn't handle it. She couldn't handle a bad break up. She couldn't handle losing him like that.

But would she lose him now? Now that she was leaving, their relationship was going to get complicated. They were used to seeing each other, having classes together. He would always come over on Saturdays and tell her about the game if she missed it. But what if he suddenly got a girlfriend and couldn't do that? What if he got too busy to see her in their free time? What if she suddenly drifted away from him? What if they lost each other?

Clary shook her head, trying to get those thoughts to disappear. She couldn't think like that. It wasn't anything she could change, so why think about the "what ifs?"

To keep her mind from wondering again, she stared at the painting in front of her. And what stared back at her made her want to cry.

It was Sebastian. Not his whole body, but his face. He had the most peculiar eyes when she really looked at them. They were dark, very dark, but not quite to the point that they were black. Towards the outside of the iris, they turned to a grey, fading until the white of the eye took over. His nose was always slightly too big, but his other handsome features made that less important. She had painted his cheeks with color. His back hair was falling across his forehead. And she painted him with his smile that she loved so much. It was the smile that showed how happy he really could be. That smile never showed at football or at school but when he and Clary were talking about nothing and everything. It showed his teeth, and his tongue always stuck out a little on the left side. She never understood why he did that but always thought that it was cute, regardless.

Her hand reached out, touching the painted cheek that had dried before she pulled back. She wasn't leaving him permanently, she knew that, but she felt the need to keep this picture of him. For some reason, having the new painting eased her stress. If he couldn't see her, at least she could still see him exactly how she wanted to – with a smile on his face.

Clary stood from her spot in front of the easel. Her feet carried her to the window, where her window seat looked out over the driveway. A large oak tree covered most of her view to the right, but to the left she could see the trees, the neighborhoods around. Being on the second story gave her a better view of the suburban area, but sometimes she just felt the need to see it all. When the sun would set, she used to sit in that very spot and paint it as it faded behind the trees. She missed those days where she painted because she wanted to, not because she had to get her mind off of the awful things happening around her.

By now, the sun was long gone, and Clary looked out over the street lit pavement. Her bike was parked on the driveway, and she wanted nothing more than to get on it and drive. Although she told Sebastian she wanted to stay in after she dropped him off at the game, right now, she couldn't think of anything better than to get out.

But she never got the chance, because suddenly her phone started ringing from its spot on the bed. With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly stood and plopped on the bed.

"Hello?"

"Is this, uh, Clar - Clarissa Morgenstern?"

Clary frowned at the sound of the boy's voice. He sounded nervous and even a little scared. Just to make sure she wasn't imagining things, she pulled the phone away to check to see if she knew the kid. It was just a number though, and she shrugged, pulling it back.

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Um, I'm Simon. Simon Lewis. I, uh, I go to East Alicante."

Clary pulled her eyebrows together. "Okay? How do you have my number exactly?"

"Oh, uh–"

"And stop saying that and get to the point."

"Sorry, I - my mom works in the office at school, and she makes me show around the new people at East when transfer in during the year."

Clary sat up, looking down at her painted hands in confusion. Within six hours, they already had some paperwork and knew she was coming?

At least they're efficient. "Yeah, I'm transferring. What do you mean show me around exactly?"

"Well, I'm the President of the Sophomore Class here. And you're a sophomore, so I'd help you around school. Find your classes. Get your locker set up. That kind of thing."

Clary tried to hold her in her laughter at her realization. Great, this guy was a nerd. That explained the nervousness. He was the "President". She wouldn't be surprised if he wore glasses, was great at physics, and had dorky gamer t-shirts that he wore every day. There were plenty of those at North Alicante, but Clary never really associated herself with them. She wasn't in higher classes with them, so it was like they lived in a whole different world.

But was she really going to be mean and pass up this opportunity? It wasn't like she was exactly popular at North, so starting the reputation that she was a bully wouldn't be the smartest move. And this Simon kid sounded nice enough. Might as well take the chance.

So she took a slow breath, calming her laughter that threatened to come through at her mental picture of him. "That sounds good."

There was a pause before a squeaky "Really?" came through the receiver.

"Yeah," Clary chuckled at Simon's lack of puberty. "Did you think I was going to say no?"

"Well, I mean, my mom showed me your file. I did this because I do this with all the new kids but I never expected you to accept it."

"Why not?"

"Well, I know about your… family situation."

Clary's eyes widened. Family situation? Did he mean… "What family situation?"

There was a pause. "Don't take this the wrong way. My mom gave me your file that North sent over. It talked about your brother and your father, although I never knew that Valentine Morgenstern had another kid other than Jonathan. So I'm guessing that you didn't exactly get along with them, especially since you punched your brother's current girlfriend."

He knew all of that? They had all that on file? And someone knew about it already, when that whole incident just happened hours ago. "I don't know whether to be creeped out or impressed that you know all that."

He laughed a bit, which made her smile slightly in turn. He had a goofy laugh, like he couldn't really control how it sounded. It was a mix between a giggle and a chuckle, if there is such a thing. "Please just say you're impressed."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night," she said with the smile still on her face. "Just don't go blabbering about all that."

"Never."

For some reason, she actually thought that he meant what he said. But she didn't really feel like talking to a complete stranger about her situation at home. "Are we supposed to meet up at school or what?"

"Wow, jumping the gun, huh?"

Clary rolled over on her stomach, fiddling with the fabric of her blankets. "Just trying to figure this all out."

"Alright. And yeah, if you want to, you can meet me in the parking lot Monday morning. I'll be the nerdy guy in an old, green, beat up F-150 with a book in his hand and glasses."

Clary smiled at the picture that popped in her head. At least she was right about the nerdy part and not being completely judgmental. And besides, Simon seemed like someone who was easy enough to get along with. Why not give him a shot?

"I'll be there."

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**Let me know what you think! I'll be uploading weekly, maybe twice a week, so keep an eye out!  
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	2. Chapter 2 - Another world

**Thank you to all that are reviewing! Don't forget to check out my other story, "What Goes Around, Comes Around"! **

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Monday morning couldn't have come fast enough. When Clary's alarm went off, she actually didn't hate the idea of getting up and going to school. Of course she still hated the idea of getting up early, but picking out her clothes and taking a shower wasn't as depressing as normal. She even did her hair!

And that led to her standing in front of the full body mirror, twisting back and forth as she looked at her outfit. Because of her mode of transportation being a bike, she always had to wear some kind of pants to school, but she hated dresses so it worked out. Today, she figured that as a first impression, showing everyone what she did was the best way to go. Black skinny jeans and calf high boots covered her lower half, while a black tank top and a sleeveless, short blue jean jacket covered her upper body. It showed off her curves enough without screaming out that she was a slut. And it made it pretty obvious that she was a biker, which she didn't mind expressing to the rest of the world. And with her red curls falling down carefully around her shoulders, she finally thought that she was ready for her first day.

The ride there wasn't all that bad, considering she was early enough to skip all the school traffic. Twenty minutes later, she pulled up into the school parking lot.

And she was not prepared for what she was getting into.

Compared to North, East was a laid-back playground. North always had teachers about, telling students what they can and can't do. It was like going to military or boarding school. You couldn't breathe without and adult pointing a finger at you to keep quiet. Thanks to her father and Principal Starkweather – who basically worshiped the ground that Valentine walked on – they made the place stricter than the Marines.

And the last thing she wanted to do was get attention. It wasn't her intention, but that sure did happen. Every head turned towards her as she maneuvered through some of the old, beat up cars and nicer looking trucks. Even though the parking lot was halfway empty, plenty of kids were still hanging out by their cars as others arrived, something that never happened at North. It was strange. People hung out, talked, and didn't act like zombies that were going through the motions. But they sure were shocked to see a girl on a bike.

It was like she had a flashing sign that said "look at me!"

Honestly, was it that big of a deal?

She thanked baby Jesus when she found a messed up green truck with a nerdy looking boy sitting on the rooftop, his legs dangling into the bed of the truck. His head was down, brown hair falling over his eyes as round-rimmed glasses covered them. Clary was surprised at how spot on she was about what he looked like, just from his voice over the phone. The jeans he wore had a few holes in them, but it looked like that was by accident more than by design, and he wore some plain, brown t-shirt with boots. Not exactly a stylish look, but she told herself that she wouldn't judge him.

He looked up as she pulled up in the parking spot parallel to his and pulled her helmet off. His eyes widened when Clary smiled up at him. "Simon?"

The nerd just nodded, his mouth wide open as he gaped at her. She looked down at herself. What was honestly so shocking about a girl on a bike in black clothing with red curly hair? Was that unheard of in this part of the county?

"What's the look for?" she asked as she popped the kickstand on her bike, sliding off and fixing her book bag over her shoulder.

Before she knew it, Simon had jumped off his truck, landing on his feet in front of her. She jumped, not expecting him to be so… forward, and then laughed when he lost his balance. He gripped at his truck, trying to straighten himself and pushed his glasses up his nose when he was successful. Typical – he tried to be cool and ended up embarrassing himself. This was going to be amusing.

"Hi!" He wiped his hands on his jeans, smiling at Clary with an awkward face. "I'm – uh, I'm Simon."

Clary shook her head in disbelief. "I know. You're Simon. I'm Clary. This is East Alicante. We've gone through this."

"Right, of course. We talked on Friday and Saturday and yesterday. But uh, you're kind of early and I – I wasn't really prepared for, uh, for you to–"

"Is something wrong?" Clary asked. "I thought I told you Friday to stop with the stuttering and the 'uh's and all that crap."

Simon seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "Oh, um, right. Um–" Clary gave him a look that said 'Really?' and he nodded, pointing up to his truck. "Do you want to sit? You're early and the principle won't be ready for another fifteen minutes."

"I'd love to," she answered with a smile. Even though she was ridiculously short, she hopped up into the bed of the 1999 F-150 with ease, taking her spot on top of the green roof. Simon came up next to her, grabbing what looked like a comic book, and started reading.

That gave her a chance to really look around the parking lot, noticing all the differences between East and North Alicante. North was more of a preppy, rich, stuck up kind of school where all the students acted like robots. Everyone there thought they were better than everyone else in the county, and sometimes Clary just got sick of it. But here, at East, was so much different. There weren't so many expensive Camaros, lifted trucks, or pimped out Mustangs that people tried to show off. Sure, she saw a few here and there, but the parking lot wasn't crowded with them. And people were actually talking and smiling with one another by their vehicles, which never happened at North. In fact, most students just showed up five minutes before first period and rushed into the school so they didn't have to deal with the teachers.

So Clary took advantage of the fact that she was just sitting on top of Simon's roof, taking it all in. Rednecks, jocks, pretty girls, and nerds all wondered around, getting with their groups and talking like they've been best friends for years. Couples were kissing and hugging, even in front of teachers, and they didn't do a thing about it. Maybe that was a common sight around here? Kissing teenagers wasn't exactly foreign at North either, but no one ever did it in front of teachers unless they were begging for detention.

"Sorry about this," Simon muttered next to her.

She looked at him, but his head was down in the comic book. "About what?"

He sighed, looking up and glancing around the parking lot. "Do you not see all the looks you're getting right now?"

Clary wanted to say no, but looked around instead. Sure enough, she saw people looking her, pointing with confusion and whispering. They weren't exactly trying to hide it either.

Then a thought hit her. "Shit, do they know about my family?" She swiveled her head at Simon, glaring. "Did you spill it to the whole school?"

The look on Simon's face was of pure confusion. "What? NO! I told you I wouldn't."

"Good, please don't tell anyone about that. The last thing I want people to know about is my connection to my father and brother. It wouldn't exactly be good for me."

"You don't get it, do you?"

Clary shrugged and looked down at her hands. "Alright, enlighten me, Harry Potter. Why are they staring at me?"

"You're sitting with me," Simon blatantly said. Clary egged him on with her eyes. "What I mean is: sitting with me isn't exactly good for your reputation."

Clary almost burst out laughing. "You do realize that I don't exactly have a reputation anyway, right? And a good reputation is foreign to me anyway. Besides, don't you have to be smart and liked to become the class president?"

Simon blushed at the compliment, although that wasn't what Clary meant to happen. She couldn't help but feel sorry for this kid. It was like he was scared to be around people. It was like talking to a skittish puppy. Sure, she had nerds at her old school, but Simon acted like he couldn't be liked. Like he _shouldn't_ be liked.

"Not necessarily," he eventually answered. "Just because people voted for me doesn't mean they actually like me. Normally, they only do it because they can force me to make decisions that will benefit them."

Clary's eyes widened. "Like bullying?"

"No! Not like that, they just kind of have the ability to… persuade me. There's a difference between those that persuade me and those that bully me."

Both was bullying in Clary's book. If she hated anything more than her father's love of football and her brother's girlfriend, it was people who looked down on others. She never saw the point in having someone's misery make you feel better. It was just wrong.

"Who are they?"

"What?"

"Who are the people that are 'persuading' you and bullying you?" She did the universal sign for quotation marks, even if Simon wasn't paying any attention to her.

Instead, he looked up and to his right, and Clary followed his line of sight. About twenty yards away was a group of three. Two boys and a girl. It was the typical stereotypes that she expected to see. At least some things were similar about this place.

The tallest boy had dark black hair, pale skin, and simple clothes on. He seemed to try to fade into the background of the black Camaro as the other two talked. He kind of reminded her of Sebastian. Seb always lived in Jonathan's shadow, keeping quiet and in his own bubble, and it seemed like that was what this boy was doing. Just the way he leaned against the car, staring at the floor was enough of an indication.

And he probably lived in the shadow of the blond. This kid, although Clary hated to admit it, was pretty damn gorgeous. She could see that from the distance. Even with an angry look on his face he had pretty good features. He wasn't quite as tall as the dark haired boy, but the golden curls and his golden skin made up for his lack of height. His dark jeans and a black t-shirt made his skin even tanner and smoother. Not to mention the muscles that were very much apparent in his arms and, more than likely, his abs as well. He wasn't as big as the dark haired boy, but both were still huge, ripped to perfection.

Then there was the girl. She looked a lot like the other boy – tall and dark. Except where he was dressed like he was scared of colors, she was dressed to impress. A red dress covered her body, where a black leather jacket wrapped around her torso and stacked wedges fitted her feet, making her even taller than she already was. Once again, Clary hated her short features. That girl would probably be a whole head taller than her.

All in all, it was like looking at Jonathan, Sebastian, and Kaelie all over again. The group of three that ruled the school. If the past was any indicator, she'd only get along with one of them where the other two would learn to hate her and make her life miserable.

Perfect.

"Is that them?" she asked, pointing to the group.

Simon smacked her hand down, none too smoothly, and looked away quickly. "Yes, and don't point at them."

"Why not?"

"That'll just give Jace a reason to come over here."

Clary frowned, looking back at the three of them. "Jace?"

Simon sighed, obviously hating the way this conversation was turning. But honestly, it was his own fault that it was brought up. "Jace Herondale is the blond, and Alec Lightwood is the other guy. Then, the gorgeous girl with the flawless skin and perfect black hair that doesn't even know I exist and wouldn't care even if she did would be Isabelle, Alec's sister."

Clary ignored the obvious fact that Simon was more than likely obsessed with that girl and focused on Jace Herondale. Where had she heard that name before? She slit her eyes at him, ignoring the look Simon was giving her, and tapped her chin trying to place it. She couldn't do it for the life of her though. She swore that she heard his name before, and it was going to kill her if she didn't figure it out.

But her brain obviously wasn't going to let that happen.

Clary leaned back against the truck casually when she gave up, ignoring the look of the teenagers as they passed. Although she did see a couple guys looking at her with their mouths open and she winked at one of them, just for the fun of it. He immediately looked away and kept walking, head down. "Why are you so scared of them?"

Simon didn't answer for a minute. "I'm not."

"Ha! Don't lie."

"Look, Jace and I are just too different of people to get along."

"What do you mean by different?"

"Hey Lewis!" Clary sat up straight at the angelic voice, looking past Simon to find the three amigos themselves walking towards Simon's truck. The three of them were even more gorgeous up close. The golden boy, Jace, put his arms up against the truck, smiling at Clary. It was more of a 'who are you' kind of smile than a genuine one. He probably didn't even have a genuine smile. "Well, well, well, you didn't tell us you had a girlfriend."

"Maybe because he didn't want you to know," Clary shot back. Simon gave her a look out of the corner of his eye, but she ignored it. She knew how to deal with guys like Jace, and Simon obviously didn't. And the other two, Isabelle and Alec, we're just going to let Jace do whatever the hell he wanted apparently. Well, not today. If she could handle Jonathan, she could handle this asshole. "And it's none of your business, so you can move along, jackass."

Jace's smile grew, as if he expected this kind of reaction, and Clary noticed that he had a chip in his left incisor. Wow, he actually had a flaw. "And she's feisty. Tell me, Lewis, how is it you scored the new hot chick while I'm stuck with Aline?"

Simon went to say something, but Clary beat him to it. "It's because Simon doesn't have a big ego and a little dick. For him, it's reversed."

Jace's smile fell and his jaw tensed. Alec and Isabelle snickered behind him, particularly Isabelle. And Simon just tried not to laugh, although he seriously blushed again, looking down at his comic book and not making eye contact.

"Jace just got schooled," some Hispanic boy called out as he passed Simon's truck.

"Shut the fuck up, Raphael," Jace called back. When he looked back at Clary, she couldn't tell if he was actually annoyed, intrigued, or fascinated. Honestly, she'd rather him hate her than look at her with his head cocked to the side like that. "Well, Tiger, do I get to know your name."

Clary smiled, twisting her arm through Simon's. "I only give my name and number to good boys." She gripped Simon and kissed his cheek, trying to make the point clear, and, even though she knew this wasn't true, it was like Simon was doing everything he could to screw it up or show that it was all a rouse.

Like, seriously, he was probably the worst actor ever, considering he was looking with wide eyes between Clary and Jace and stiffened whenever she touched him. God, it was like he never had any human contact before in his life. If Jace would've barely glanced at Simon, he would've realized that Clary was totally lying, but luckily his golden eyes were glued to Clary's green ones as they stared each other down. He looked like he couldn't decide if he hated her or liked her, and Clary didn't care.

She would rather have a single friend like Simon at her new school than get in with the new kids. That road only caused pain from her last experienced. She was used to be alone, and one good friend who meant well was better than ten friends who were sneaky and manipulative.

And Jace screamed of manipulation.

Alec leaned forward, whispering something in Jace's ear. He looked back at him, sighed, and backed up from the truck. "I'll see you later, Tiger. And I'll get that name eventually, don't you worry."

"Good luck with that," Clary called after him as the three of them left. She couldn't help but admire all of them as they walked towards the school entrance. They were… different. That's for sure. She still didn't have enough contexts to decide if different was good or bad yet, but she was leaning towards the latter.

Everything about this place was just so messed up already, and it wasn't even nine o'clock…

"Okay, explain what that was about," Simon demanded. He pulled back, careful not to release Clary's arm but enough to look into her eyes when she gazed up at him. "I missed the part where I asked you out."

Just because of the situation, Clary just laughed and shook her head. "Simon, I just gave you bonus points on your reputation. You should be thanking me. And that Isabelle girl actually looked at you. Learn to just play along with it."

Dumbfounded was the only word that Clary could come up with for his expression. "Play along with it?"

"Yes," Clary said as she drug out the 's'. "It's called faking it."

"But we're not… dating."

Clary smiled. "I know that. That's also why you should stop holding onto my arm."

Simon looked down like he didn't even realize he was doing it, and released her quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't–"

"I did. And you'd do your best to keep it up if you want to get Isabelle's full attention." The school bell rang at that point, and Clary stood up in the bed of the truck, stretching her arms out as she fixed her back on her shoulders. "So, are you going to show me around or what?"

It took a while for Simon to answer. Maybe she confused him more than she should have, but he'll understand that it was for his own good. "Right, okay, let's go."

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Simon was actually quite the talker once he felt more relaxed around Clary. After their talk with the jerks in the parking lot, he wouldn't shut up. She didn't mind though. He was cute, in a geeky, 'I don't know what to do with myself' kind of way. All he really needed was to put on a few pounds of muscle, ditch the glasses, and trim his hair and he could actually be quite the catch. He had the height, a voice that wasn't deep but wasn't too high pitched, and a cute smile, but he seemed like he'd rather be invisible.

So Clary just let him do his thing. He stayed with her throughout her meeting with the Principal, whose name Clary couldn't remember as soon as she left. She couldn't even express how thankful she was to him for that. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with her new principle. She hated people that worked for schools, with good reason, and as soon as she got her schedule, Simon started showing her around.

It was like Simon's second home. He knew every nick and cranny about the building that would be Clary's refuge from her family. Whether it was which teacher was in which class, what the nicknames of the hallways were – like one called "Lover's Lane" that she made a mental note to stay clear of –or how to get to the nearest vending machine, Simon knew it all. And her class schedule seemed to be easy enough according to him. He took her past all of her classes while the students were in session. They never entered any of the classrooms though. Simon said that it was just easier to get all the classroom locations down pat before getting started with the learning part

"So, you're an artist?" He asked, looking down at the schedule in his hands to find her last class.

Clary nodded, hiking her back up over her shoulder for what felt like the tenth time. She really just wished she had her locker already, but she didn't want to push Simon into anything. Might as well go on his calendar since he's the genius.

"What kind of artist?"

Clary glanced through the windows of the classrooms as they passed. "I mainly do painting and drawing, things like that. Sometimes it's from memory, and other times I draw something I see, but I stay away from the whole 3D situation."

"Like sculpting and crafting?"

She snapped her fingers. "Yes. I hate that stuff. It's too messy and it never turns out right."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe you just don't try hard enough. Those things take time."

"So does painting and drawing. I'd just rather have a pencil or paintbrush in my hand then have clay all over them. And painting is natural for me. It's easy to capture full images than individual objects."

"That's deep." Clary felt something was off about his voice, and when she looked up, she saw the smile that he was trying to hide. So she shoved him, lightly enough, but he stumbled a bit and caught himself on the wall. "Hey!"

"Stop teasing me," she shot at him, but she couldn't help but crack a smile herself. "You're a jerk."

"Really? Shit, I didn't mean to–"

Clary brought her hand up, grabbing his arm to stop his rambling. "And you really need to learn to relax. Seriously, I'm going to loosen you up if it kills me. Learn to take a joke."

He looked down at her hand on his arm, and then back up to her eyes. His brown irises looked smaller behind the lens of his glasses. The color of his eyes and hair was practically identical, and Clary, not really thinking about what she was doing, reached up, brushing a piece of hair out of his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked. His voice was uneven, and Clary just shrugged of his uncomfortable tone and continued fixing the rat's nest that was his hair. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

She nodded as she dropped her hands and stepped back. Sure, his hair still looked messy, but it was a cute, adorable kind of messy instead of bed head. It practically transformed his whole face. His insecurity was baffling her. If he'd just try to act confident, he could probably even get that Isabelle girl he was ogling over. Although his athletic ability could use a bit of improvement.

But she shouldn't try to change someone that she just met. It was blatantly obvious that he had a huge crush on Isabelle, along with every other guy in the school, but she knew better than to try to help him get her. He'd have to do that on his own. When she taught Jonathan to get Kaelie, it turned him from a sweet, caring brother to an asshole who just wanted to get laid.

That was not a road that would be kind to Simon.

He was quiet for a while, and finally, he spoke: "You seem like a nice enough girl considering you didn't look through me with soul-sucking hatred and contempt, and I like that in people. So, what is it that got on your nerves enough to punch that girl and get yourself expelled?"

Well, that wasn't something she really wanted to talk about. Clary was hoping to avoid this subject for a least a day, and didn't really feel like talking about what Kaelie had said. It still stirred up the anger that would start in the pit of her stomach, and she didn't want Simon to see her like that so early.

So she decided to take the broader route. "My brother's girlfriend and I had a misunderstanding. Simple as that."

Her tone must have told him that she didn't want to talk about it, and he nodded before heading the rest of the way to Clary's new favorite place. This was going to be her escape from everything – her father, her brother, school, drama, all of it.

"And this is the art room," Simon smiled as he opened the door, letting Clary step through first like a gentleman.

It was like stepping into a Wonderland. The smell of paint took over her senses as she walked to the center of the room, doing a three-sixty circle to take it all in.

Towards the back of the room were easels for painting, facing the front. All of them were clear of equipment, just standing alone in their paint covered glory. Then, in the middle were tables that had pencil and charcoal stains all over the brown wood. It seriously needed to be wiped down, but Clary wouldn't be the one doing that job. And in the very front, crafting tools and pottery equipment lined an extremely long table, reaching from one side of the room to the other, barely giving enough room to step to the front where the teacher's desk was.

At least it was an open kind of room. Her mother's old studio in her home was closed off, with no windows and only one door. But this room had windows lining the entire north wall, and an extra door led out to the parking lot. At least her last class's proximity gave her an easy escape after school.

"You do realize you have other classes to get to, right?"

Clary looked over her shoulder at Simon, who was smiling in the doorway like a child. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I want to leave."

"But you have to leave."

She pouted and stuck her bottom lip out. "Five more minutes?"

It was at that moment that a woman entered the room, just behind Simon. She was an African woman, dressed in a vibrant, purple silk dress. Gold and silver bracelets wrapped around her wrists, and some golden pins kept the bangs of her hair up that wasn't strategically placed in the bun at the top of her head.

She looked up as she stepped through the door, and smiled instantly when her eyes fell on Simon. "Mr. Lewis. Good to see you. What are you doing in here?"

"Oh, I'm just showing Clary around. Today is her first day here and she'll be in your seventh period class."

Awkward didn't even begin to describe the situation. Clary never really cared for authority. She didn't like anyone who thought they could control her life. Because of that, she developed a deep hatred for anyone over the age of twenty-five. And this woman seemed to double that age.

So when the woman smiled at Clary, she didn't return it.

"Hi, I'm Madame Dorothea," she said as she stepped up, holding her hand out to Clary. "I'm glad I could see you before class today. I've been hoping someone knew would come for Drawing1102. Another student needed a partner and you've come here just in time."

Clary looked down at the teacher's hand, and slowly, tentatively, took it and shook it once before releasing it. She stepped back, stuffing her hands in her pockets and looked anywhere but the woman's brown eyes. They might have appeared warm and welcoming, but Clary knew better than to really believe it.

So instead, she looked down at the table to her left, rubbing her hand over it. "Um, so you're the art teacher?" Wow, she wanted to slap herself. Of course the woman was the art teacher!

Madame Dorothea, or Mrs. Dorothea – Clary just guessed that – nodded. "Yes. I've been teaching it for twenty years. Been painting and sculpting for even longer than that."

"You can paint _and_ sculpt?" She wasn't really used to people being able to work with both dimensions.

"Absolutely. I can do anything artistic, which is why I'm the only teacher here. I even taught Simon how to play the guitar." She looked back at Simon. "And not that I don't love your company but shouldn't you be in class?"

He nodded once. "But Clary was determined to see the art room, and I figured that she could have first period to look around."

Madame Dorothea seemed to consider this, and she even seemed to accept it. "Very well, I do have work today before class though."

"Right, we'll just be leaving." Simon motioned for Clary to follow him, and she did without a word. Once they were out in the hall, the door shut, she leaned up against the wall with her eyes closed, her bag sliding to the floor.

That was horrid. The lady seemed nice enough, but the way she talked made Clary nervous. All adults made Clary nervous. If Simon hadn't been with her at the principal's office, lord knows how it would've gone. She just never handled it very well, and mostly just stayed quiet and lived in her own little shell around adults. Simon on the other hand seemed to be the one that all the teachers knew.

"You looked like you were going to be sick," he observed. Clary opened her eyes, finding his eyes on her with his head slightly tilted to the side. "What was that about?"

"Authority and I don't get along too well. We're about as compatible as Hurricane Katrina and the Titanic," she admitted.

Thankfully, Simon seemed to take this as a decent answer and dropped the subject. Now she just had to get to the rest of the school day.

* * *

Clary stood at her locker, the one Simon finally showed her to, just after sixth period to get her stuff for Drawing 1102. She tossed most of her books in, dropping her bag to the floor. One more class in this Wonderland and she's done for the day.

It hadn't been quite as bad as she expected it to be. People didn't whisper behind her back, which is something that she'd pretty much grown accustomed to at North. The classes were small and more private. Students were talkative and welcoming. Teachers seemed nice enough but Clary refused to fall for that trick. All in all, nothing bad had actually happened so far. A few people, mainly guys, made snide comments about her butt, but she was in high school. What else did she expect wearing black skinny jeans?

But even with the little things that got on her nerves, it was heaven not having to deal with her family. No one came up behind her, talking about Jonathan's skills or Valentine's career. No one made comments about her mother. She just focused on being Clary. Just Clary. No Morgenstern was attached. It pretty much seemed like the perfect place to start over.

Until Jace showed up again.

She felt him standing behind her before she actually saw him. And by felt, she meant that by the heat. It was like it radiated off of him, soaking through her clothes. How weird was that? The temperature of the room just shot up three degrees by his mere presence.

But telling him that would only boost his large enough ego. So she kept eyes towards her locker when she said:

"What do you want?"

She heard him chuckle before he moved to stand next to her. Well, actually, he leaned against the neighboring locker, smiling down at her from his huge height difference. "I still haven't gotten your name, Tiger."

Clary rolled her eyes. "If you're insistent on calling me Tiger, go ahead and call me Nala too."

"Not likely." Jace crossed his arms over his chest, and looked her up and down, not even trying to hide the fact he was doing it. And Clary did her best to hid the shiver that her body wanted to escape. "Nala was the beautiful, loving friend of Simba who was caring and open to others. You remind me more of Scar. You know, dark, secretive, grumpy, uptight – that kind of describes you. Not to mention they were lions, and you're a tiger."

Good God, Clary already wanted to shove his head in a locker. This was the first conversation they've had, at least since the parking lot incident, and he was already insulting her and acting like he knew her? What a toolbag! And the way he looked at her, head cocked to the side, biting his bottom lip was both sexy and annoying. Could he be any more contradicting in Clary's mind? She wanted to turn towards him, to come back with some snide remark, but – much to her disappointment in herself – she was captivated.

He looked like an angel. A golden, beautiful angel. And that bothered the shit out of her. And why was he so golden? Between his eyes, his hair, and his skin, it was overwhelming and unnatural. Clary found it hard to actually look at him so she glanced away, staring back at her locker.

She grabbed her notebook with all of her drawings in it, clutching it to her chest like it was gold. "Look, I'm kind of busy, so if you don't mind–"

"Just give me your name," he interrupted. "That's all I want from you."

"Good thing that your wants won't hurt you." She shut her locker loudly, causing him to jump slightly. She almost laughed, but just reached down to grab her bag, hiding her smile. "And I doubt that's the only thing you want from me."

He jumped in front of her as she tried to walk away. "What's going on between you and the nerd?"

She sighed, hiking her bag up on her shoulder as she raised both her eyebrows. "His name is Simon."

"And mind is Jace. But yours still eludes me." When she tried to pass him, he side stepped in front of her again. By now, students were walking by and staring. Most of the girls were probably staring at Jace, not that Clary blamed them but having their full attention was kind of annoying. There was no such thing as being sneaky or privacy in this school. At least at North, people tried to hide the fact they were talking shit about you. Hell, that might have been the only good thing about that prison. Here, they just stared and made it blatantly obvious. "Why don't you just tell me?"

At the look of annoyance on his face, Clary smiled with as much fakeness as possible. "You really don't like it when you don't get your way, do you?"

Jace looked away from her at that, biting his bottom lip yet again as he glared a few students who were staring. Then, as if the air changed, Jace backed up, looking past Clary's shoulder. His face was hard, stern, and he looked like he was looking at a bug on his windshield. "Hey, Poindexter."

Clary looked behind her just in time to see Simon's arm reach up and drape over her shoulder. He pulled her into him, and kissed the top of her curly, red hair on her head, completely ignoring Jace's little comment. Simon's forwardness surprised her, but unlike him, she knew how to play along.

"Hey babe," he said into her hair. She tried not to laugh at the hilarity of it all. Someone like Simon did not call girls 'babe'. He did not have the confidence for that. She didn't comment though, and he pulled away, looking at Jace with a cool gaze. "Jace."

"Is this for real?" he asked. His seriousness was actually amusing as he pointed between the two teenagers. But even though he was addressing both of them, his eyes were glued to Clary's. "Is this really happening? You two are together?"

Clary smiled up at Simon. "It's as true as the sun rising and setting every day."

Jace crossed his arms over his chest, the muscles tightening under the movement. "Prove it."

His golden eyes were full of challenge as he looked down at Clary. A smirk was plastered to his lips, his perfect lips, and Clary had to actually focus on what he said. The words traced into her head again, and again, but she had to do it to prove a point!

So without a word, she dropped her bag to the floor, grabbed Simon by his shirt, twisted him, and reached up to his lips with her eyes closed. Hers connected to his easily enough, considering he wasn't too much taller than her, but she still had to stand on her tip-toes until he finally reacted. She didn't even think about what she was doing, and let it happen. It wasn't anything special, just like kissing random guys at parties. But she wasn't drunk. Simon wasn't random. And from what she could see, he wasn't a dick that would use her. So kissing him wasn't something she thought would bother her and it didn't. There wasn't exactly spark, but there was a sense of safety that she got out of it.

His hands came up to cup her cheeks and he pushed her back, slowly and carefully. The lockers pressed against her back, tucking her between their hard metal and Simon's skinny and lean body. His lips were a bit chapped, and he wasn't winning the world's greatest kisser award anytime soon, but it wasn't horrendous either. He was no match for Sebastian – which was a totally different story – but he wasn't a complete disaster. He at least had an idea of what he was doing, and wasn't pushing it too deeply.

Her father would kill her right now, and the thought made her smile against Simon's lips. If he could walk in on her right now, she wouldn't live through the night. He had some weird idea that the Morgenstern family is better than everyone else, and they should be romantically involved with people of that stature: smart, athletic, rich, good looking.

Not nerdy, strange, and quiet like Simon.

"I think we got him," Simon whispered in her ear as he eventually kissed her cheek and pulled away. The kiss didn't last too long, and Clary couldn't decide if she was thankful or upset about that.

Either way, Clary looked up, opening her eyes to find that Jace was nowhere to be seen. There were plenty of other people who were staring at the two of them with wide, confused eyes though. Some students had their mouths wide open. Some were just stopped in their place, like statues. And one girl even ran into a group of guys as she looked upon them, stumbling around like she was drunk.

Clary looked away from them with a chuckle, looking up at Simon. "Don't you think pushing me against the locker was a little much?"

Simon shrugged, stepping up next to Clary to lean against the lockers. "That was the first time I've ever gotten back at Jace Herondale for anything. And it felt damn good to really push him to the limit without the threat of getting thrown in a trashcan."

"You're welcome." Clary patted his chest, smiling up at him. "But hey, warn me next time?"

"Hey, you're the one that kissed me," he shot back but then his face changed. His brows furrowed. His eyes got more serious. "Clary, can I ask you something?" She nodded, picking her back up off the floor. "What was that?"

She shrugged. "A kiss. What else would it be?"

Simon nodded but didn't seem to satisfied with the answer. His face was a mixture of expressions as the bell rang, indicating that they all had to get to class. But when Clary started to walk away, Simon's hand grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Wait, do you think we can talk after school?"

His tone of voice was serious. She looked down at his hand, then up to his face. Then, with a nod, she said, "Sure."

* * *

**REVIEW! You all can ask me anything! You're comments are greatly appreciated and it's what keeps me going thanks to writer's block :/ I hate that junk!**

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	3. Chapter 3 - Typical

Art. It's the only thing that could somewhat distract Clary from her surroundings. It stopped her from thinking about how her life could be different, how things should've been, and it helped her just relax. The control that she had was something that she craved. She controlled the destiny of the art, and it was at her mercy, instead of the other way around. Her whole life she'd been forced to do what her father wanted, what the school wanted, but for the short times that she had a paint brush or pencil in her hand, she could finally do what she wanted.

The room around her was busy with students getting their supplies. All of them were already halfway through projects, grabbing unfinished canvases and settling themselves in front of the easels. While the painting students did that, Clary and the other Drawing 1102 students took their spots at the tables. There were less than a dozen of them, and many were pulling out headphones and shoving them in their ears as they got with their partners, talking about some group project.

Clary glanced around, wondering who her partner could be. Everyone was already in pairs, and Madame Dorothea mentioned something about a partner earlier, but she didn't see anyone sitting on their own. Clary suddenly wished that she had actually paid attention to what the woman said, maybe even ask how this mystery partner could've been. That way, if it was someone like Jace, she could've just said no.

But there was no point in fussing about it now. She just minded her own business, doodling on notebook paper while the class noise died down. After a few minutes, someone took the seat to the right of Clary, and when she looked up she froze.

Isabelle Lightwood sat there, leaning against the desk with her elbows and examined her perfectly manicured fingernails. Her skin was even more flawless up close than it was out in the parking lot and Clary envied that. She didn't really care for all the freckles she had around her nose and down her arms, but there wasn't a thing she could do about it. Isabelle had that kind of skin that Cover-girl would use for their commercials. The right paleness mixed with a tan, no pores that were even visible, and not a scar in sight. When it came to Isabelle, Clary couldn't help but feel kind of… hideous.

The dark haired girl turned towards Clary, showing her the perfect, dark blue eyes, Clary felt even worse about herself. Her green ones were like gross algae compared to the blue ocean Isabelle was so lucky to have. "Hey new partner."

Clary swallowed, and then suddenly wanted to do nothing but leave. "Great," she mumbled before going back to her notebook doodles.

"Look, I'm glad I got to talk to you. Before we get off on the bad foot, I wanted to say that you handled Jace pretty well in the parking lot."

Well, that wasn't exactly expected, but Clary just shrugged. "Sure. Thanks."

It was quiet for a moment, Isabelle looking down at her nails before she sighed. And it wasn't quiet. It was loud. A couple of students glanced in their direction, the guy's eyes lingering on Isabelle a little longer than necessary. And Clary could see her turn out of the corner of her eye. "I'm Isabelle."

Although the small talk got on Clary's nerves, she was able to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "I know. Simon told me all about you, your brother, and that asshole, Jace."

Isabelle slid her chair closer to Clary, who shifted uncomfortably at the proximity, and dropped her voice lower. "So, is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Are you and Simon, you know… doing it?"

Clary practically dropped her pencil. "It?"

Isabelle nodded. "You know what I mean."

Good god, this place really was insane. Clary just stared at Isabelle, her mouth slightly parted in shock. Nothing like this was ever discussed at North. Or maybe Clary just never surrounded herself with it. Sebastian never talked about it. Jonathan and Kaelie had sex all the time, but Clary really didn't want to hear about that situation. The thought alone was repulsive.

But Isabelle looked genuinely curious and acted like this was an everyday conversation. Her hands were now in her lap, playing the fabric of her red dress. Clary couldn't understand how this girl was in an art class. Who wears a dress like that to school when she'd have to draw and paint?

Clary finally just shook her head. "No."

"No?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p'. "Disregard everything I said in the parking lot, because there is no sex, trust me."

Isabelle considered this for a moment, and then leaned back in her chair with a sigh. "But are you two dating?"

_Fake dating_, Clary thought. But she couldn't say that. Isabelle would tell Jace in a heartbeat, and Clary really had to watch what she was saying. The last thing she wanted was Jace and Isabelle double teaming her because she contradicted herself. And knowing her and her inability to think, she'd be doing a lot of contradicting.

But Clary's own curiosity was digging deep, and she looked sideways at Isabelle for a split second. Why was this girl asking so many questions? Her eyes were curious, but it was more about Clary than it was about Simon. Too bad since Simon was practically head over heels for Isabelle. You'd have to be blind not to see that.

Clary finally went with beating around the bush. "You could say that."

"What does that mean?"

"Clary, Isabelle, glad you two met." Clary looked up, and standing behind her was Madame Dorothea, a smile plastered to the older woman's face. "You understand that you two are now partners?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yup."

Yup? Clary would've gotten slapped across the cheek at North for saying "yup". Well, not literally, but she would've gotten all kinds of shit when she got home. In public, Valentine hated bad manners more than anything, and most of the North teachers didn't even tolerate a "yes" with a "ma'am" attached to it.

Madame Dorothea smiled even more, if that was even possible. "Isabelle, I expect you to show Clary the ropes around here. You two have a lot of work to do to catch up with the rest of the class. I suggest getting together after school."

And then she left, leaving Clary sitting there dumbfounded. After school? Get together? Catching up? Clary had to spend more time with Isabelle than she really cared about? She didn't really know how to think about that. Isabelle seemed nice enough, but so did Kaelie before the bitch in her came out to play.

Clary prayed that Isabelle's bitchy side stayed hidden in a closet in a place far, far away.

"So, your name is Clary?" Isabelle said with a small, knowing smile.

Then it hit her. Well, there goes that fun she had while annoying the hell out of Jace. "You going to tell Jace?"

What a stupid question. Of course she was! The secret was out, and Isabelle didn't look like kind of girl that kept secrets from her friends.

But her response was surprising. "Look, Jace has been through a lot in his life, but no. I think it's fun to watch him squirm so I won't if you explain," Isabelle said as she reached down, pulling out some pencils and paper from what looked to be a very expensive, very designer shoulder bag that Clary wouldn't be caught dead with. "You know, about Simon. Is it like friends with benefits?"

"Does Simon look like the kind of guy who would be in a friends and benefits situation?" Clary gave Isabelle a look of pure stupidity. "Seriously?"

"Simon isn't the guy to be in any situation, period," Isabelle mumbled. Clary couldn't help but smile, although she didn't say out loud that she agreed. "But honestly, how did Simon, the nerd that Jace and Alec used to dump in trash cans as a freshman and didn't even look at girls without blushing, end up with someone like you?"

Freshman Friday was real at East? Poor Simon. She wanted to ask about that, why Jace was such a dick, but she ignored that part of Isabelle's comments. Instead, Clary couldn't help but ask, "Someone like me?"

Isabelle nodded, but didn't elaborate as she started to draw on a blank piece of paper.

Clary couldn't take it. "Alright, come on. What the hell is that supposed to mean? You can't just say that and not explain."

The suspense was killing her, and she didn't even know why. Why did Clary care what this preppy, pretty girl thought about her? But then again, that was just her being a teenage girl. She wanted to know what others thought, even if she didn't really care. God, being a teenager was so troublesome.

"You just don't seem like the kind of girl that would be with a guy like him." When Clary opened her mouth to speak, Isabelle put a hand up. "Look, I don't know Simon, but from what I've observed and heard from some friends around the school, you and Simon are a completely different caliber. Simon is scared of people, while you seem to take the challenges as they come to you. Almost welcoming them. The girl that stood up to Jace isn't the kind of girl I pictured with Simon."

"And what kind of girl did you picture with Simon, exactly?" Clary asked, leaning against the table and turned to face Isabelle more head on. For some reason, she was feeling kind of protective of Simon. She didn't like how Isabelle made him seem lesser, unworthy. He was a good guy, and this girl who was bashing him didn't even know him!

Not that Clary was an angel herself, but she didn't like how Isabelle was being so judgmental.

A perfect fingernail tapped Isabelle's chin lightly. "I don't know. Right now, I'm guessing that it would someone that was either a gamer girl that was overweight or one of those skinny, nerdy girls from Korea that's too smart for her own good and doesn't understand our culture."

"So someone that people talk down to and make fun of?" Clary felt a fire spark inside of her when Isabelle casually shrugged. "Look, Simon isn't who you, Jace, and your brother make him out to be. He's a genuine kid. He has feelings that you all feel the need to exploit, and I don't like that. He deserves more credit than you give him."

"I'm sure. But you could do way better. For example-"

"Isabelle, I need to talk to you."

Clary looked up to see a very upset, very angry girl slam her hands down on the table before them. After glancing around, she realized that Madame Dorothea was nowhere to be seen, so if this girl started a fight, which it looked like she wanted to, no one would stop it. This just got a little more interesting.

She was a girl that Clary hadn't seen yet. She had an Asian look about her, mainly coming through in her curved cheekbones and her eyes which were slit, dark brown, and seemingly angry. Her black hair was cut to her shoulders and straight. And her clothing was just a purple blouse and some skinny jeans. She wouldn't exactly be considered gorgeous, not like Isabelle at least, but was striking nonetheless.

"Hello Aline." Isabelle didn't sound too happy to see her exactly. "What's wrong this time?"

Her tone caught Clary off-guard. She remembered Jace talking about Aline, like she was his girlfriend, and it was obvious that Isabelle wasn't too thrilled about the idea.

"Jace," Aline answered. Ding! One point for Clary! "He's been dodging me all day."

"That's not my problem. Jace may be an ass, but he'd have good reasons if he's ignoring you. And it's not like this is the first time he's acted like you didn't exist," Isabelle said with a cool voice. She looked up at Aline with cold eyes. Clary was happy that they weren't directed at her.

"Just tell him that if he wants me to stay his girlfriend, he'd better pick it up the goddamned phone."

And with that, she was gone. Out the door in a hurry as Clary followed her with her eyes, watching as she walked like she was the princess of the world. Well, Clary sure as hell wasn't worshiping the ground she walked on anytime soon. People like Aline were the reason that Clary got expelled in the first place. And that's when Clary realized something.

Isabelle wasn't Kaelie. Aline was Kaelie. Maybe Isabelle isn't as bad as she originally thought.

"So that's Jace's girlfriend, huh?" Clary wanted to slap herself as soon as she got the words out. She didn't want it to sound like she cared, because she didn't, but the look on Isabelle's face told Clary that she caught her tone.

Great. She really had to start thinking before talking.

"She might not be by the end of the day. This would be about the fifth time those two have broken up within the last six months. Everyone knows that they're not compatible, only dating because they get good reputations and sex out of it, but I just can't wait until that little relationship is over." Clary didn't respond, not sure what to say, and Isabelle obviously wasn't feeling like talking about it either. She immediately changed her posture, straightening up and grabbing some more paper out of her bag. The school bell rang above them, and when Isabelle looked back, her face had changed from curious to a working expression. "So, about our project."

* * *

Jace tapped his pencil on the desk repeatedly, ignoring the annoyed looks some of his friends were giving him. Between that, the bouncing of his knee, and the sighing, he was even getting on his own nerves. He could only imagine how much Alec and the others hated it.

And it was all because of that girl. God, she was driving him insane. One conversation, that was it. That's all they had and yet, something about her really got to him. She didn't look at him like he was an angel, a sex god like the rest of the girls thought. Sure, he could see the attraction in her eyes, but she didn't act on it. Most girls jumped on him like a free train ride, but that girl, the red head, didn't. He tried the smile, the look that he always gave Aline whenever she was mad at him, and the pet names that always seemed to make woman swoon. Not a single reaction was the one he wanted.

And this was really starting to get on his nerves. Yes, he could at least admit he was attracted to the little fireball, but he was also attracted to Aline! So, why was Tiger stuck in his head while he shoved Aline away and ran like hell?

It was pissing him off. He need to punch something, to hit something just to get his frustration out. Alec had promised him an extra workout today when Jace asked, but he was afraid that even then, it wouldn't be enough to stop whatever the hell this was. He hoped it was lust, pure lust. Maybe, if he just slept with Tiger and figured out what she had, he'd stop being so... intrigued by her. No amount of sparing, throwing, punching, and tackling would make those green, innocent eyes disappear.

He glanced up at the clock. Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes until he'd finally get an answer from her. He'd get that name by the end of the day, even if it killed him. All he had to do was catch her at the right time, fluster her a bit with his charm, and she'd be like putty in his hands. Every girl was, and Tiger was no different. Isabelle promised, much to her own reluctance, that she'd give him time with her after school. To stall her until he could catch up and get what he wanted.

Although what he wanted wasn't exactly clear to himself.

"Hey, don't forget about after school," Alec whispered from his spot next to Jace. They were in the back of the room, listening to Mrs. Penhallow talk and talk about Geometry. This was the most boring subject imaginable, mainly because Jace already knew it. "Coach wants us at practice early."

Jace nodded, looking down at his desk. The Geometry book sat in the corner, wide open to a page he'd already read and memorized. Why did he even have to go to school? "I'm on it. I'll head to practice after I talk to whatever her name is."

Alec sighed, shaking his head. "Jace, I told you earlier to let it go. Why can't you just do that?"

"I'm a guy. She's a girl. I know that's complicated for you to understand, but those things are supposed to be attracted to each other."

"Don't bring that into this," Alec snapped in a hushed tone. He glared at Jace out of the corner of his eyes. "All I'm saying is that girl didn't exactly look good for you."

Jace turned his head towards his best friend, eyes wide. "And why is that?"

"She looked at you like you were a piece of shit. I'm surprised you didn't see that." Then he held up his hand. "Actually, no I'm not. You were probably mentally undressing her as she talked, so that really doesn't surprise me that you missed the look of pure hatred and annoyance that crossed her face."

Well, that was uncalled for. "First of all, no girl could give me that kind of look. Even when I broke up with half the school, they all still adored me, so back off. And second, she just doesn't understand it yet."

"It?"

"Yes, it. That feeling of falling in love with the bad boy. She's a goodie-two-shoes, and I plan on breaking that part of her. Sooner rather than later."

Alec sat back in his seat. His arms crossed over his chest, and he actually looked upset. Jace didn't really understand why. This wasn't the first time that Jace ever made a conquest, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. So, what was Alec's problem?

Finally, after the silence between the two of them started getting to be unbearable, the bell rang for the end of the school day. Jace jumped out of his seat, stuffing his bag quickly, faster than ever before, and had it slung over his shoulder before Alec got to his feet.

"Jace," Alec called as he started to move through the leaving students. He looked back over his shoulder into a pair of blue eyes that looked genuinely concerned. "Just be careful, alright?"

"Always am," he answered and took off out into the hallway.

The end of the day was always the worst. Students packed into halls like sardines, and didn't know what personal space was. Most of them obviously didn't know the look of someone in a hurry either, and Jace's patience wore thin faster than usual. He shoved two nerds out of the way and into a cheerleader, mainly by accident but mostly on purpose, as he moved through the crowd. This was typical! The one day he actually wanted to see someone, was the day that everyone wanted to stop him from achieving that goal.

Including his so called girlfriend.

He didn't see her until he was almost to the entrance of the Electives hallway for the none Academic classes when he was suddenly shoved up against the wall. His back hit roughly, his bag digging into him.

"What the hell, Aline?" He groaned as he pulled away, rubbing his lower back like an old man. "What was that for?"

She stood right in front of him, and for once, he didn't feel the lust he normally had. For the past year, if Aline got close to him, he'd just want to throw her in bed and have his way with her. He looked down at her, and just frowned. She had too much make-up and eyeliner on her face, which normally didn't bother him, but right now it was just a turn off. Her clothes were tight, guys checking out her butt as they walked by. She wasn't exactly holding it in either, pushing him back into the wall and leaning forward. Maybe she just liked to be deemed as a slut? That's definitely what Jace could tell from the current situation.

"Where have you been all day?" she demanded. Her tone might have been angry, but her hand played with the collar of his shirt like she wanted to rip it off of him. "I missed you."

"You saw me this morning."

"But you weren't there this afternoon. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you found another girl."

She was kidding, of course, but Jace sure as hell wasn't. Tiger was definitely another girl, and he definitely wanted a shot at her. The way she held herself, like a badass biker chick, did strange things to his body. He could feel the heat coming, coursing through him at the thought of what he wanted to do to her.

Aline took it the wrong way though. She smiled, thinking the reaction was because of her and wrapped her arms around Jace's neck. He was pulled down until her lips brushed his ear. The way she acted in the hallway was just like in the bedroom, and freshmen were walking by with their jaws dropped at the couple's openness.

"Wanna go have some fun? We haven't had some proper time alone in a while." She bit his earlobe lightly, acting like they were the only two people in the world.

Jace had a third one in his though. He pulled away, grabbing Aline's hands from his neck and dropping them to her side. "As much as I want to, I told Alec we'd get to practice early," he lied like a champion. "So I really do have to go."

"Tonight then?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded, not really paying attention to her words. "Sure, sure." And then he was shoving his way through the thinning crowd, trying his hardest to go faster but only getting pushed and shoved back. He turned into the Electives hallway, and his hope collapsed like the Berlin wall.

Isabelle and Tiger were standing at the doorway, a good sixty yards away with a sea of students between them. Tiger said something Jace couldn't see, shrugged, and then was out the door with Isabelle looking after her.

The blood in Jace's veins started to boil. Isabelle was supposed to stall her, and that sure as hell wasn't what he would call stalling. his friend just let her walk away, like it was nothing. And after everything Jace has done for her... That's when Isabelle turned, saw Jace, and blew him a kiss before heading out the door with a wink.

With friends like her, who needs enemies?

* * *

"What took you so long?" Simon asked none too kindly when Clary finally approached his truck after school.

Last period had stunned Clary. Isabelle was a confusing character, and Clary didn't like confusing. The stereotype that Clary had tagged to Isabelle's character turned out to be right and wrong. Sure, she was into fashion, small talk, boys, and drama but there was a different side to Isabelle that Clary wasn't prepared for. She was actually kind of inviting. Talking to her wasn't hard, and when Isabelle asked Clary to come over later that week to work on the project, she accepted without hesitation. Then she just wanted to slap herself for sounding so eager. Girls and Clary just never got along in the first place, so why was Isabelle suddenly so friendly? Why did Clary actually... enjoy her company?

It bothered her that she didn't know the answer. She like when people were readable, where she could tell what they were thinking, what they would do. It was her way of protecting herself. When she knew what people were capable of, she was able to stop bad things from happening.

Like Simon. He was about as open and readable as the comic books that he always had with him. His glasses were more like microscopes into his mind, and although he tried to be secretive earlier, telling Clary that he wanted to meet her after school, she had a pretty good idea of where it was going. He was lost, wondering what the hell she was up to, and she didn't see any point in lying to him. Might as well tell him now before things got out of control. Whatever was happening between them needed to be worked out immediately.

It was interesting how easily she got along with Simon, even liked him. She only started talking to the kid a few days ago, and it was like she'd known him for years. Granted, kissing him in the hallway probably confused him more than her, but she wasn't thinking! She just kind of did it to annoy Jace, and it worked considering he disappeared like a mist.

So when Simon was looking down, brows furrowed in confusion, Clary just tossed her bag on her bike and hopped into the truck. "Isabelle and I were talking."

His face didn't change, and he looked a bit angry too. "Really? About what?"

Clary shrugged, hopping up into the back of the truck and taking the spot next to him as cars passed only to get stuck in the lines that led out of the parking lot. School traffic had to be one of her pet peeves, and she'd much rather sit there for thirty minutes with Simon than be on her bike and getting annoyed.

So she calmly looked at Simon, smiling a bit when she answered. "We just kind of talked about anything and everything. She's actually my partner for this eight week art project we've got going on for Madame Dorothea. Granted, we're behind by two weeks so we'll have to meet up after school a lot to catch up on the work but–"

"Sounds like you two are just the best of friends," Simon interrupted. "Typical."

Clary leaned back, genuinely confused. "Excuse me?"

His hands came up defensively and the comic book that was in his lap slid to the bed of the truck. "Look, all I'm saying is you belong with them more than me. So honestly, I should've known that you would've hit it off with Jace's little minion on the first day. It's really not that much of a surprise."

"Isabelle is my _partner_ for a project. Why does everyone think that I have a type? This isn't we're doing each other's nails and having sleepovers. When she picks friends like Jace Herondale, it doesn't exactly encourage me to open myself up to her. She's nice and all, but her friend picking abilities leave something to be desired."

He dropped his head to his hands. "Whatever."

Clary couldn't believe this. "You're being a child," she glared at him. "Look, Simon, I don't know what you want me to say. It's not like this is a bad thing for you."

He lifted his head quickly, turning towards her. His glasses were sideways and she couldn't stop a laugh from escaping as she reached forward, fixing them. The tension immediately faded as he slowly smiled back, tilting one side of his mouth up. "What are you talking about?"

Clary pulled back, slightly puzzled. "You like Isabelle, right?"

His face was priceless. "I – I don't – No! Why would you think that?"

"I'm not stupid. Just admit you're attracted to her."

Although she could tell that he really didn't want to say anything, he sighed and lied back against the roof of the truck, staring up at the sky. He looked defeated, and sounded even worse. "Look, I'm not attracted to her. In fact, I hate her guts, just as much as I hate Jace. I fact, I probably hate them more than you hate Kaelie." Clary seriously doubted that anyone could hate someone more than she hated Kaelie, but she didn't say anything. "This is what I wanted to talk to you about. Isabelle, Jace, and Alec have been the bane of my existence. They live to torture me, especially Jace. So yes, while I think Isabelle is probably the most gorgeous girl on the planet, she's still on my "I hate you" list, and I refuse to talk to her so stop thinking about trying to get me and her together like a little mission of yours. I can see it in your eyes that you think I like her. But newsflash: I don't want her, end of story."

Clary rolled her eyes at his little speech, turning her body and something gold caught her eye. Sure enough, Jace and Alec were walking through the parking lot. Clary didn't see Aline or Isabelle anywhere, and she immediately looked away when he glanced towards her. If anything, she hated him just because he was that beautiful. It should be illegal to be that gorgeous.

And when he winked at her, like the annoying git that he was, she just glared and looked away. He really was a conceited asshole. So to keep Jace out of her head, which was easy enough, she focused back on Simon. "Do you really have an "I hate you" list?"

"Seriously? That's all that you got out of that?" Clary shrugged in answer. "Whatever. Someone like me has to have something like that. And those three are at the top of the list. It's a three-way tie for first place."

"What is it that they did?"

"What haven't they done?" Simon asked half-heartedly. "Honestly, I've been Jace's personal punching bag since I arrived here last year. He's been more calm this year so far, but last year he pranked me every chance he could. I was the laughing stock of the school because of him. In fact, I still am! He's the guy that gets all the girls, that picks on all the geeks and nerds, and that all the teachers love. Why do you think it was so shocking to everyone that you kissed me in the hallway, especially in front of the golden boy himself? Jace spread the rumor around last year that I was gay, which is harsh for more than one reason by the way, so being within five feet of a girl was disorienting for the whole student body."

Jace really was worse than Jonathan. How was that even possible? But at least Jonathan just had anger issues. He got pissed off about anything and everything, and Clary had gotten used to that. In fact, after a while, she learned how to egg it on just for her own enjoyment. It was easy to deal with someone who was angry, because eventually it would die down. Jonathan couldn't stay angry forever.

But Jace, he was just a jerk. And that doesn't change or fade, no matter what the chick flicks say. Simon hadn't done anything to him. Nothing at all. Clary hadn't seen anything about Simon that would make someone torture him like that. He was kind, extremely shy, a loner, nothing that would be intimidating to Jace. So why? If anything, people like Jace and Jonathan would hate each other and fight it out while people like Simon cowered in their homes on their video games.

"He's not the angel that he resembles."

Clary looked up to where Simon was looking, watching Jace talk to Alec by his black, 2013 Camaro. He had some kind of duffel bag slung over his shoulder, his muscles in his arms bulging to hold its weight. Angel definitely was the best description. God, she hated all the goldenness about him. All he needed was a pair of wings and he'd be right out of a children's book. As if he knew she was looking, he glanced over at her, and smirked. She immediately looked away.

"His looks are what reels people in and then he rips their heart out. I've seen it at least ten times in the past year."

Clary looked sideways at Simon. It sounded like he spoke from experience. Every part of her body wanted to ask what happened, because it was more than obvious some kind of beef seriously happened between the two, but she never got the chance before Simon's phone rang.

He held up a finger. Clary nodded. He answered. "Hello?"

Almost against her will, she looked back at Jace again. She was convinced that his beauty is what caught her attention, like a painter to a beautiful sunset. She remembered all the times when she saw beautiful people and felt the need to paint them. That was actually how she and Sebastian became friends. He was playing football in the park with her brother, and she didn't even realize she was painting his dark form until she actually came out of her daze.

But this was different. It was backwards. From their looks, you'd think that Sebastian would be the jerk and Jace would be the nice guy. Sebastian kind of looked like he'd resemble the darkness while Jace would resemble the light of the world. But it was obvious that on the inside, Jace was the one that had the black heart.

Simon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose just under his glasses. "Yeah, I'll be a bit late and can close tonight… Alright, see you soon."

"You have a job?" she asked when he shoved his phone in his pocket.

"If that's what you call it. I don't exactly get paid in cash. My mom's friend owns a bookstore and I work there a few days a week. In return, he lets me go in and out as I please and I have free access to the entire place whenever I want."

"Sounds like a sweet gig," Clary said sarcastically. She hated reading, but if it was an art store, she'd be all for it.

Simon missed her sarcasm though. "You can come if you want," he suggested. "I mean, he's leaving early tonight so it'll just be you and me and there's an art room in the back. Plenty of paint stuff to keep you preoccupied. Or you can use the computers, read some of the books. He's a nice guy and won't care if you use anything, as long as nothing gets broken. And I can show you around the town before too, unless you have something you have to do."

Clary thought about it for a moment. Go with Simon to look around and to a bookstore where she could paint and have some time to think, or go home to an empty house and wait for the two people on the planet that she never wanted to see again?

"Lead the way."

* * *

**Woo! REVIEW! Jace the player is finally revealed in his own scene, so let me know what you think. Stay tuned for more :)**


	4. Chapter 4 - No Chance

**This is kind of shorter than the others, but it had to be in a way. What happened before and what will happen after this chapter made things kind of complicated, so I just left this one to be short. It is what it is. Well, have at it! **

* * *

"And this is Taki's," Simon exclaimed with a smile as he opened the door for Clary. They'd spent the last two hours driving around, her bike still at the school, while Simon showed her all the go to places. It was amazing how little she knew about this part of town, considering her father would've disowned her in the past if he ever caught her there. But Simon felt the need to show her everything before heading to the bookstore later, and she wasn't going to complain. His company was nice. "Best diner in this part of town, and it's cheap as shit."

The smell of pancakes and bacon rushed up her nose. The place wasn't too crowded, and was small, looking almost family owned. Red and yellow booths were lined up along the wall, big enough to fit six people to a table, while there was a bar facing some cooks, stoves, and waffle makers. Every other bar stool was preoccupied with adults, while a few booths were taken by high school students. Clary didn't recognize any, and suddenly she was being pulled inside by Simon.

"Follow me," he instructed as he pulled her.

She did as she was told, until her attention was caught by one of the cooks by the bar. He had just passed a plate full of pancakes and other fixings when he looked up at her, and smiled. And man, he was cute. His smile alone was enough to make Clary slightly weak at the knees and made her breath catch. Not to mention his startling hazel-green eyes, matched with high cheekbones and his muscular physique. Even in a greasy, dirty apron, he was quite the sight. When he turned from her attention, she noticed the tattoos that ran down his arms that weren't covered by his sleeves.

Great, he's eighteen. Way too old for her.

"Hey Jordan!" Simon called as they passed him. The guy Clary was just ogling looked over his shoulder, tilting his head back in greeting.

"Hey, Si! Long time, no see little man. I'll be with you guys in a minute."

It was official. East Alicante was the most messed up place on the face of the planet. How is it that Simon Lewis knew someone - was friends with someone like that guy? With his longer brown hair, size, and tattoos, he kind of looked like a rock star. A gorgeous, sexy, please let me kiss you rock star.

And Simon was friends with him?

Simon pulled Clary into a booth at the corner, sliding in by the window. He tossed her a menu when she sat opposite of him, a double sided sheet that was laminated, and started pointing things out. "I'm buying, so get whatever you want. This place is famous for their pancakes and waffles, but their subs, hamburgers, and even their steaks are pretty damn good too."

Clary pretty much just ignored everything he was saying. Her eyes were still on the cook, Jordan. Almost mindlessly, she asked, "How do you know him?"

"Who?" Simon asked behind his menu.

She pointed. "Him. That Jordan kid. How do you know... someone like him?"

"He and I have been friends for years."

"How is that even possible?" she asked, still completely and totally dumbfounded. "He's, like, hot, and you're… well, you."

At that, Simon finally dropped his menu and actually glared at her. "You know, that kind of hurts my already nonexistent ego. He and I just work together at Luke's bookstore. He splits his work time between here and there along with University schedules he has to deal with." And then Simon held his hand up, getting Clary's full attention and breaking it from Jordan's body. "And the record, Jordan is pretty much my only friend, so sorry I worked hard to actually find someone good."

"Does that mean were not friends?" Her hands came up over her heart and she turned her expression to one of fake hurt. "I went into this with so much hope."

His look was a mixture between annoyance and disbelief. "Shut up."

And she did, although her lips turned up into a small smile, sliding down in her seat as she looked at the menu. But her mind wasn't really on food. She kept replaying the past few hours in her mind. She still didn't understand. She felt like Alice in Wonderland. It was like it as all backwards. But it was more of the people that were confusing.

Maybe it was because she grew up with those kids at North. She had known most of them for years, never had to get to know new people, and it was easy to figure out their intentions. The fact that this place kept her on her toes was both infuriating and intriguing. It shouldn't take too long to figure this out, right? She was Clary Morgenstern. Reading people used to be like her super power. Her mind was always able to read past the bullshit that others used as their armor.

But her brain power turned to mush as soon as Jordan stepped up to the table. He pulled a pad out of his apron, taking the cap off of his pen by biting down on it. "So, Simon, who is this?"

She was more than thankful when Simon introduced her, considering she felt like her voice was playing hide-and-seek with her right now, and she was losing. "Jordan, this is Clary. Clary, Jordan."

"Nice to meet you," he chimed. "How come I've never seen you before?"

"She's new," Simon answered.

Jordan nodded, and leaned down across the table. Clary thought for a moment he was being way too damn forward but he just pointed at the menu in her hands. "Well, since you're new, I'm going to help you out. These are by far the best pancakes and hashbrowns you'll ever have, and because I like your buddy here, I'll give you the newbie discount, deal? Not to mention, past six o'clock, the pancakes are half-off."

Clary nodded, trying to ignore the overwhelming smell of cologne and syrup. Not to mention the fact that his face was only a foot away from hers. "Uh, yeah, I'll take that. And a coke."

"Perfect," Jordan smiled and jotted it down on the notepad. "And Simon, the usual?"

"You bet."

"Alright, I'll bring it out soon," he said and winked at Clary before heading back behind the counter. It took Clary a minute to recover, but surprisingly was able to start breathing steadily faster than she expected.

"Really?"

Simon's voice caught her off guard. It was full of condescension, and she just shrugged. "Don't judge me."

He didn't. He tossed the menus aside, and it was then that Clary noticed he was smiling. And also looking past her towards the door.

She turned, genuinely curious as to what caught his attention, and she immediately wished that she didn't. There, standing in the doorway with his little posse behind him was Jace, staring at her. Actually, he looked like he was glaring at her, his fists clenched and his jaw set. His clothes were now just shorts and a white t-shirt, and his hair looked like it was matted with dried sweat. Their eyes met for only for a split second though, because then Isabelle stalked in towards the booth at the opposite end of the counter, oblivious to Clary and Simon. Jace's eyes went to cool and collected as he broke eye contact with Clary, following Alec and Isabelle.

"That was priceless," Simon said with a small laugh. "I've never seen him so mad."

"Did I do something?" She was genuinely curious as to why she was getting the death glare from Jace Herondale. And although he wasn't exactly looking at her now, she still felt the weight of his look on her shoulders.

Simon shrugged lightly with one shoulder. "Kind of. It's more of what you didn't do. The thing is, you weren't distracted by Jace's look this morning, this afternoon in the hallway, or even right now and he just witnessed your minor brain lapse when Jordan showed up."

"And he hated me because I find Jordan attractive?"

"He hates you because you don't find him _more_ attractive."

Could someone have a bigger ego issue? Seriously? Jace was upset because a single girl didn't admit to him that he was the hottest thing on the planet? And Clary would never let those words come out of her mouth. Jace might have the looks, but he seriously acted like the most insecure, disturbed four year old that she ever had the sad experience of laying eyes on . She refused to stoop down to his level.

But even then, she couldn't stop herself from admitting that he really did have the looks. God, no matter how much she hated herself for that, he looked like he was sculpted by the Gods! Every part of him was perfect, physically at least. For some reason she felt like behind those looks was definitely as extremely troubled kid, and she was going to find out what that was. What made him like this? He wasn't the type to talk. More than likely, he'd dodge all of her questions and ask those of his own. But he'd never answer if others were around. There had to be a way to get him alone, to get him to talk. She could try getting the information from Isabelle, but that wouldn't mean the same.

As she sat there, talking with Simon, she felt Jace's gaze on her the whole time, burning into her like a fire. Maybe being alone with him wasn't the best idea, but it was something that had to be done.

* * *

"COME ON, IZZY!" Jace begged as Alec drove home. He lost shotgun and was thrown in the back, but it made it easier to bug Isabelle to the point she snapped. Ever since they left Taki's, Jace had done nothing but nag her about Tiger. He was currently leaning forward in between the front seats of the Camaro, looking at her. "You screwed it up today after school, so you owe me. You said you'd do it at school. Just get her to give me a chance."

Isabelle's reluctance was adamant today. She shook her head, playing with her phone in her lap. "I'm not doing it."

"You might as well," Alec inquired from the driver's seat. "He's not going to let it go until he gets his way. Why don't you just agree to it and get it over with?"

This was why Alec and Jace got along so well. While one was the guy that always had something to do, something he wanted, the other was more laid back and let things happen. Alec knew better than to try to stop Jace, but his sister wasn't so smart apparently.

"Yeah," Jace added. "Listen to your brother and do it."

"No."

"If not for me, do it for her."

That caught the dark haired girl's attention faster than Channing Tatum. Isabelle swiveled in her seat, ignoring the seat belt and glared at Jace. "You obviously don't understand the word no. How about Spanish?" She leaned forward, her eyes shining with so much anger that Jace actually leaned back. "NO. NO. And Hell no! I don't know what I have to say to get it through that thick head of yours that I'm not helping you ruin her."

Jace's jaw set as Alec pulled into their parent's neighborhood. "Seriously? Why not? Since when are you so protective over the girls I'm interested in?"

"Since she isn't one of those sluts that doesn't give a shit about her virtue," Isabelle spat. "Unlike the others, she's actually kind, nice, and hates your guts, which I find quite amusing most of the time. You dug your own grave with this one, and you're on your own."

With that said and done, she sat forward, staring at her phone with Jace looking at her dark hair incredulously.

That was a little over the top, even for Isabelle. So what if she didn't agree with Jace's morals completely? She always had as much fun manipulating people as he did, so why the sudden change? Since when was she so... uptight?

"What got your panties in a twist?" Jace asked, crossing his arms and sitting back in the seat. Now he and Isabelle were in a bad mood, and he caught Alec's eyes in the mirror. The poor guy was going to have his hands full tonight.

"You need to just let this go."

"What did she say to you?" he asked. "You told me you'd help before last period, then, after an hour with her, you suddenly care about her feelings. I don't like that she can change you like that. In fact, I hate it."

She shrugged. "She's just nice, Jace."

"Nice?" Jace repeated as if the word was venom in his mouth. "She said I had a small penis and a big ego. IN FRONT OF EVERYONE."

Alec laughed in the front seat, but stopped it quickly when he caught Jace's gaze. His quiet personality didn't help Jace in these situations,and his friend just focused on pulling into the driveway without crashing the car.

"She's right about one of those things," Isabelle said. She reached down, grabbing her bag as Alec typed in the code to their mansion gate. "I'm not going to help you ruin someone like her."

Isabelle slid out the door when Alec stopped in the circle drive, but Jace wasn't done yet. This conversation was going to go his way eventually. He could feel it. So he followed her, slipping out of the car after grabbing his own bag and slamming the door shut. "Wait!" he called, running after Isabelle and her high heels. She was surprisingly quick in them considering she was walking up the stairs with her eyes on her phone. "What do I have to do to get you to help me?"

"There's nothing you can do," she answered. She smiled up at their butler when he swung the double doors open. "Hi, Magnus."

Jace stopped in the doorway for a moment, looking at the Lightwood's butler. He was a tall man, looking about the age of nineteen or twenty. How he came into his career was a mystery. He was tall and lean, but not too skinny looking in his suit. Jace never asked what he was exactly, but if had to guess, the guy would be a mix between some kind of Indonesian heritage or some kind of Asian. His black hair always seemed perfectly styled, sticking up in certain places with other colors in the strands. His nails were sparkled with glitter, along with the tie around his neck and the ear rings that hung down the sides of his face. Everything about his was bright and colorful, including his personality.

He smiled at Isabelle, bowing slightly as she stepped onto the throw rug. "Hello, Ms. Lightwood."

She rolled her eyes. "Magnus, you've been here for four months. I've told you to call me Isabelle, and I'll get my mom to fire you if you don't start immediately."

"As you wish, Isabelle," he smiled. Isabelle winked at him, heading inside the ballroom that led up the stairs. Jace sighed, stepping through. "Jace," he growled out.

"Magnus." The confrontation the two of them had was always fun to Jace. For some reason, one that he never found out, the butler hated Jace. So he egged it on, just to make his life interesting. "How's life in the slave zone?"

"Jace, stop." He turned to find Alec walking up the stairs, glaring at him. "I don't want to have to kick you out for harassing our butler."

"Thank you, Mr. Lightwood," Magnus responded, bowing to Alec just like he did to Isabelle. Jace was getting sick of it after all these months. They weren't royalty, but Magnus sure thought so. It was obnoxious.

Jace waved his hand in Alec's face when he tried to talk. "Whatever. I'm going to continue a much needed debate with Isabelle." He jogged away from the front door once he dropped his bag on the floor and sprinted up the stairs three at a time. He thanked God for his height and speed. He was able to get to the second story, make a right down the hallway, and caught Isabelle's form entering her room. She kicked the door shut with her foot, but Jace was there, stopping it with his hand. "We still need to talk."

"Get out of my room."

"Not until you help me." He stepped inside, ignoring Isabelle's protests and closed the door behind him.

Isabelle's room was always so... girlie. She had posters of famous bands on one wall, where her bed was up against. On another, pictures from kindergarten until now were taped up around the window. The wall where the door was located could still be seen, the purple paint actually visible, and to the left was the full closet, stretching the entire twenty foot length and stopping by the bathroom door. On top of that, she had the pink bed sheets, pink and purple comforter, pink laptop case, and a pink rug on top of the hardwood floors that made Jace want to throw up.

It was awful.

"Wow. She really got to you," Isabelle mused. She tossed her bag to the floor, backing up to her bed with a sly smile on her face. Jace hated that smile. It meant she knew something he didn't. "This is actually pretty interesting."

He groaned, suddenly hating the fact that Isabelle was so interested. Why couldn't that girl just be easy, like everyone else? Bringing Isabelle in was always a last resort, for this very reason. Her curiosity. "Iz, just help me out. How many times do I have to ask it?"

"Come here." She tapped the spot by her on the bed, and Jace stepped forward, taking the seat. "Explain."

He sat back on his hands, looking confused. "Explain what?"

"Why you want to talk to her so bad. What does she have that Jace Herondale can't stand not getting his hands on?"

This was the conversation he was dreading, and he knew it. Every time they had this talk, Isabelle started asking questions. She'd never help unless she had all the details. It was probably her worst trait. Well, that and her cooking. She was about as far from Betty Crocker as a person could get.

But for once, he didn't really know the answer to her question. Normally, it was always the same thing. Aline: She was single, hot, and attracted to him. Helen: She was single, hot, and attracted to him. Caterina: She was single, hot, and attracted to him. They were all the same, but this girl was so much more different.

For one, she was dating that wimp, Simon Lewis. Jace didn't know what he was going to do about that situation. He wasn't a home-wrecker and has never broken up a couple for his own benefit. He had some amount of decency. But he didn't care about that now. Something about this mystery girl of his made him want to do anything. She wasn't single, she wasn't hot like the other girls he'd been with, and she might have been attracted to him but not showing it as much as he'd liked. Her body was small, not tall. Her face looked young, not toned and hot, but cute, innocent, and - dare he say it - beautiful, not sexy. And from what he observed, she'd be one hell of a kisser. Just thinking about the fact that Lewis got to her first made him want to punch the little nerd's face in.

But he kept his cool, remembering that Isabelle was studying him like a lab specimen and kept his face clear of emotions. He just went with his regular answer, the one she always seemed to accept.

"She's hot."

"I'm going to need a little more than that."

"Well, you'll be disappointed. She's hot, and that's all I have to say about it."

Isabelle didn't seem to accept his answer, the look in her eyes saying as much, and turned away from him. "Fine. If you're going to be like this, I'm not helping you. You can deal with her on your own."

"Alright!" Jace exclaimed when she stood to leave. He sighed, hating where this was going but knowing it had to be done. "I just like her, okay?" It pained him to say it and he fell backwards on the bed, tucking his hands behind his head. "Is that enough?"

"Good try," Isabelle smiled, "But no."

"What do you want me to say?"

She scoffed, shaking her head and putting her hands on her hips. She really was quite dangerous looking, even in her dress and heels. Every time Isabelle started to act like an authority, Jace always thought she was like a powerful, young, dark haired Angelina Jolie. All she needed was a whip and Jace might actually cower away from her.

"Seriously, I don't know what I have to say to get you to help me," he said. "Do I need to set you up with Meliorn? I can talk to your brother and I'm sure that between the both of us, we can convince Meliorn for one date. I'll stop harassing you for entertainment. I'll stop insulting you. I'll-"

"See, its that." She pointed to him, circling her finger about as she took him in. "All of that. Why would you give up your ability to make my life miserable? It's practically what you live for."

Well, shit. Jace wanted to slap himself for this one. "I told you. I just want that girl to talk to me, without looking at me like I resemble the plague."

"Jace, she's always going to think that. I told you what she said, how she feels about you. I hate to say it, but for once, you have no chance. Everything you've done to Simon and your attitude towards the rest of the world is coming back to bite you in the ass. So I'll say it one more time," She flicked her hair over her shoulder, smiling. "No. Chance."

"I refuse to believe that."

Isabelle rolled her eyes, turning and walking towards her full body mirror by the window. "Believe what you want. I'm still not helping you."

That wasn't what he wanted to hear. He was sick of it. She had said no more times in the past two hours than in her entire life, and it was all directed at Jace. He couldn't figure out what he did to deserve such a treatment. Sure, he and Isabelle fought like siblings, but he still would do anything for her. That feeling, though, wasn't a two way street apparently.

"One date," Jace called, rolling onto his stomach so he could see his friend upright. "Just one date is all I want out of her. That's all I need to make her stay. Trust me."

Although he could only see her back, he could imagine the look of annoyance on her face. She was moving her hands through her hair, fixing it in places that were already perfect. "I hate to burst your bubble, but you'll have to be extremely lucky to get a date out of that girl. A secluded location for a conversation is all I'm offering, and even then it's going to be very slim."

"Yes! I-"

"Not so fast," she snapped, pointing her finger at him like a stern mother. Jace's hand was in the air in victory, but he froze when she glared at him. "I'm serious, Jace. Don't you dare mess with her. I've warned you about her. And tomorrow, you best believe I'm giving her the same talk. The two of you together is trouble, so please, just be careful. Don't let yourself get hurt."

He looked taken aback. "Why is everyone suddenly telling me to be careful?"

"Everyone?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Well, I mean, you and Alec at least. That pretty much classifies as everyone."

Isabelle's hands fell from her face, and she wrapped her arms around her torso. "I'm just worried, for the both of you. Jace, you're a heart-breaker, and she's not going to fall for that. And from what I've seen, and also from what I've been told by resources that will remain anonymous, she won't think twice about hurting you too. You've been through enough pain, and I don't want to see you go through that phase again."

The last thing he wanted to think about was that time. It was the darkest time of his life, and he'd never go back to that.

"You don't have to worry Izzy," he said. "Just get me that date."

"I'm not promising a date," she said with conviction. "I'm promising a talk. No, scratch that. I'm promising a chit-chat."

He frowned, sitting up and crossing his legs in an Indian style. He probably looked like a child and would never get caught dead like this, but Isabelle had seen him at his best and at his worst. There wasn't any point in hiding. "A chit-chat? Is that some kind of girl code that I don't understand?"

She stared at him in disbelief, before shaking her head and heading towards her closet without a word. Jace never understood what the point of so many clothes was. Isabelle had enough outfits that if she wore a different one everyday, never repeating, she still wouldn't wear them all in a year. He sat there, watching her as she stripped down to her bare essentials, sliding out of the red dress and kicking off her heels.

Most guys would start drooling at this point, not that Jace blamed them. Isabelle was... fit. And hot. And sexy. And confident. And totally off limits to Jace Christopher Herondale. He knew better than to make a move on his best friend's little sister, who also happened to be like a sister to him anyway. That would just be wrong on so many levels that he stayed clear of those feelings. Naturally, his girlfriends weren't very happy about his relationship with Izzy, but they could get over it.

Besides, he was still allowed to admire right?

"Stop staring." He didn't. In fact, when she bent down and grabbed a pair of running shorts, showing off her thong that he really wished girls he dated would start wearing, his eyes opened wider. His head automatically cocked to the side, and he smiled inside. Whichever guy ended up with Isabelle was a lucky man. A very, very lucky man.

"I'm not staring," he answered after a few seconds, watching as she pulled her bra off, her back to him to keep the goods out of view, and slipped a sports bra over it. "Definitely not staring."

She huffed, sliding the fabric down. "Fine, admiring, glorifying, applauding, appreciating, approving, or any of your other names for it." She turned once she had her bra and shorts on, hands on her hips. Isabelle was that girl that guys stopped in the street to stare at. She had it all. The whole package, but Jace at least had a decent amount of respect and looked into her eyes instead of her breasts. "And Aline wouldn't really appreciate the fact that you're openly staring at my ass."

"Aline can get over it," Jace said. "She's never mad at me more than five minutes. One puppy dog look and few kisses and I'm back to being Jesus in her eyes."

Isabelle looked like she was about to throw up. "Let's just go work out. Enough talking. We'll deal with you're issues after I've let off my own frustrations."

* * *

**Isabelle and Jace are perfect! :) Not romantic, but hilarious in my opinion. Their personalities collide to make for great scenes. **

**So REVIEW! Let me know you're beautiful opinions. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Be careful, for both of you

"Isabelle, stop!"

Clary grabbed the paint brush from Isabelle's hands before any harm could be done, snatching it back. Luckily, it hadn't touched the canvas yet, and Clary let out a sigh of relief, sinking into her chair.

Isabelle frowned, sitting back in her own seat in the art room. Everyone around them were painting, drawing, getting their own projects done, but not them. Although it bothered Clary, it obviously bothered Isabelle more. Her arms crossed over her chest and she pouted like a five year old. "Am I ever going to get to do anything?"

"No," Clary put it simply.

They hadn't even started with the real art part of the project. The talking stage and figuring out what they were going to do was more difficult than actually doing it, but Isabelle's impatience was getting bad. It was only the second day they were together! She wanted to just start painting without a game plan, while Clary wanted to actually know what the painting was going to be. The kept banging their heads against each other, and it wasn't working. It was going to be a long six weeks.

Isabelle kept her angry eyes on her fingernails. "How hard can it be to paint an animal in its natural habitat? Honestly, you're making too big a deal out of this. As long as we try, it won't matter what it looks like. Besides, you're the drawing part, and I'm the painting part. So I should be allowed to do what I want."

"First of all, it's forty percent of our grade. I have to make a big deal out of this. Maybe if we knew what we were doing, we could actually get started, and you could actually do something with your time. Each part has to be intertwined, not mixed together like a smoothie in a blender."

"I told you we should do a tiger."

"Jace told you we should do that," Clary said. "And that's exactly why we're not doing it."

This was getting to the point that it was ridiculous. Between the two of them, neither would compromise on what they were going to do. Madame Dorothea wasn't any help either, and that only increased Clary's frustration. This is why she hated people, why she'd rather work on her own. But no, she was stuck with Isabelle.

She placed the paintbrush back on the table, the giant canvas sitting flat in front of them, and put her head in her hands. Maybe there was a way that she could get Isabelle to pretty much ignore the whole project so Clary can focus. The girl couldn't have actually cared! If she was serious about it, she would've started it two weeks ago instead of texting or playing on her phone for an hour every day. And now, suddenly, she was interested in helping? Yeah, right.

"What's your problem with him?" Isabelle asked suddenly. Clary turned her head, her chin in her palm with red curls falling on her shoulder. Isabelle was looking at her like she was studying her. Or interrogating her. Either one. "You know, with Jace? I get that he's not exactly easy to get along with, but you've seriously got something bad when it comes to him."

What wasn't Clary's problem with Jace? It probably sounded bad, but wasn't it pretty obvious? "I hate him. It's simple as that."

"You don't even know him."

"I don't have to," Clary said. She grabbed the paintbrush, playing with the handle to avoid eye contact. Why? She didn't really know. "I just don't care for guys like him. He's nothing special, no different from everyone else, and yet he thinks that he deserves to have girls kiss at his feet."

"You're being a bit judgmental you know," Isabelle sounded defensive, and suddenly she was leaning forward, twisting in her seat, and giving Clary all of her attention.

Clary rolled her eyes. "You mean that Jace has another purpose to life other than breaking hearts and having sex?"

"He spends a lot of time boxing," Isabelle suggested. "And he plays football, swims, just does mostly physical stuff. Normally, it's just him and Alec at the house, sometimes I tag along, doing some kind of workout after school, after practice, in the mornings. It's kind of like a drug for both of them. Neither act like themselves if they don't let off some steam. Between the two of them, they're both pretty messed up, and I've seen them at their worst. It's best that they have their alone time, away from everyone and everything, so no, Jace isn't just interested in sex. He's actually a pretty nice guy. He can be really smart, caring, kind, once you dig past the sarcasm, the arrogance, the–"

"Can you wrap this up?" Clary rolled her arms. "I'm sure that Jace is a good person in your eyes, but to me and the rest of the world, he's a jerk. That's not going to change."

"Why not?"

Clary sighed, dropping her head a bit. "This is between me and Jace. You're not a part of it."

"He's practically my brother, so I am a part of it. And when it comes to Jace, I don't want to see him get hurt. He's been through enough with - he's just been through a lot. And I know you have to, so I just want you both to be careful."

She probably looked like a judgmental bitch to Isabelle right now, but she couldn't care less. Guys like Jace were all the same, even if Isabelle couldn't see it, and only their friends thought there was ever any good in them. But Clary knew better. Boys like Jonathan and Jace were all the same deep down. Nothing but a black heart with the need to make other miserable. They all deserved the same ill fate.

There had to be something there though. Isabelle had to know that something was seriously messed up in Jace's head. There had to be a story there, and Clary wanted to know. But, asking was way out of line. She didn't want it to look like she really cared, because Isabelle would read into it too much. But something was going on! Jonathan had a reason – it wasn't a good one – but he had a reason for being the jerk that he was. A rough life makes people harder and more forceful on the outside. She didn't have it easy either, but some people react differently to their pasts. So what was Jace's issues?

Clary looked down to her lap, hiding her face from the rest of the art room. She shouldn't want to know, but yet, all she wanted was to ask him, to demand answers.

But she never got the chance before Isabelle said, "You know, I'm not stupid. I may not know why you hate Jace so much, but I know all about you."

Clary's green eyes met Isabelle's dark blue ones, and she cocked her head to the side. "What is it you know about me exactly? Did you get the guys that grovel at your feet to do a background check on me?"

"Sebastian told me everything."

"What?" Isabelle knew Sebastian? Sebastian knew Isabelle? That didn't - WHAT?

The dark haired girl nodded, smiling like she finally had the lead. "Sebastian and I have been friends for some time, a little over a year. Unlike everyone else at this school, I don't really care about the stupid rivalry, and he doesn't really care for it either. Your brother just pushes it on him, and he complies so he doesn't have to deal with the drama. But anyway, he and I met at a party, and we got along pretty well. And over the years, we've grown pretty close. So yes, you best believe me when I say I know all about you and your… past."

The way she finished it sounded somewhat like a threat. Although her eyes didn't have any threatening quality to them. The look was more of one that showed she was impressed.

"You're a pretty good actor though," she continued when Clary's dumbfounded expression never changed. Her voice was gone, and she had no choice but to listen to Isabelle's hushed words. "I called him last night, asking about Simon to see if it was legit. Turns out, you're a little liar, aren't you?"

Clary looked around, making sure that no students were actually focusing on the girl's very secret conversation. "What do you want?" she hissed. She didn't want to talk about the past, about what happened, about why she was here, or about her family.

Isabelle, thankfully, didn't ask either. But she asked something that Clary didn't really know the answer to. "The truth. Why did you lie to Jace?"

"Because this is America and I can do whatever the hell I want."

"You better give me a good answer," Isabelle shot back. Her eyes were suddenly full of anger, and Clary leaned back, away from her. "I'm serious. I'll blabber to everyone how you're a Morgenstern. Jace particularly wouldn't be too happy about that fact. I will give you props for getting the teachers to hide as well, but unfortunately for you, Clary Fairchild doesn't quite fit you as well as Clarissa Morgenstern."

Clary looked Isabelle's jeans and tank top up and down, pulling her eyebrows together. "Before this interrogation goes any further, if you're a cop, you have to tell me, right?"

And just like that, all the tension faded between them. Isabelle's smile broke out, and she laughed quietly, shaking her head. Clary found herself smiling a bit too, although she was freaking out on the inside. Her stomach was in knots and she felt the need to throw it up. She couldn't tell if Isabelle's threat was for real or if that was all just hokum.

"I just want you to know that you don't have to bullshit with me," Isabelle smiled. And it was actually a genuine smile. "And I won't say a word, I promise. No one, including Alec or Jace, will find out about your family from me. Except maybe my little brother, but he knows how to keep a secret like its his job." Clary smiled slightly, thanking her without words, but Isabelle wasn't done. "Sebastian never told you about me, did he?"

Clary shook her head. "Most of the time, he was always talking about me, trying to help me. I never really bothered asking him what was new in his life." She dropped her head to her hands again. "I'm the worst person ever."

"According to you, that would actually be Jace," Isabelle said with amusement.

"I guess the two of us would be two peas in a pod."

"He talks about you." Could this day get any stranger? Clary's eyes moved swiftly to Isabelle's, but sure enough, there was no bullshit in that ocean of blue. "He does. And it drives him nuts. After he saw you at Taki's he went crazy with it. All he wants is for you to give him a chance. He begged and begged for me to get you two together to talk, but I told him that I wasn't promising anything. You're really getting to him, whatever it is your doing."

Was that flattering or terrifying?

"You just won't give him a chance," Isabelle continued. "Jace is used to finding girls attractive, and I'll admit that he is pretty damn attractive, that's nothing new. What's different this time is that the feelings aren't reciprocated. He likes you. I know that. Alec knows that. Hell, Simon knows that which is probably why it was so amusing for him to kiss you yesterday. But you won't give Jace a chance to be himself. You've made him out to be the bad guy, when all he wants is to have a decent conversation with you."

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend anyway?" Clary made a desperate attempt to change the subject. She didn't need to know that the most beautiful guy she had ever seen actually finds her attractive. No, she really didn't need to know that.

Isabelle shrugged. "Jace wouldn't really consider Aline his girlfriend, but yes, that's the label. If anything, they're just fuck buddies, even if she wants more out of it. She's tried for the past few months to get Jace to actually treat her decent, but he doesn't. Not that I blame him. Aline doesn't deserve decent treatment for how she treats everyone else. She's just known for what she can do on the mattress, and Jace accepts that."

"So he's just playing with her."

That was exactly how Clary saw it. Jace was no different than any other guy. Considering she calls them 'fuck buddies' made it pretty obvious that he didn't actually have real feelings. He probably wasn't even capable of feelings unless it was hatred or lust. That's all he had. So when Isabelle said that Jace liked her, that was probably just a rouse. Translation: he wants to get in her pants.

Fuck. That. It's not happening.

Isabelle realized what Clary meant, and quickly said, "It's not just him. This was Aline's idea, so don't try to pin all the no strings attached crap on Jace. He may be messed up, but he's not that bad. He just learned to go with the flow after a while."

"I don't even know why we're talking about this," Clary mumbled.

"Jace just wants to talk to you, that's it," Isabelle said. She dropped the Aline subject, but damn she was persistent on the Jace subject. Clary hated that. "Look, just tell me yes or no. Will you talk to him or not?"

Thoughts passed through Clary's head. She wanted to talk to him, just because the part of her that always wanted to read into people was curious about him. She wanted to know why he was who he was or who he pretended to be. But that would require her to be alone with him, to actually be civil with him, and that was like trying to be civil with Johnathan.

"No." She turned back to the table, picking up a pencil and looking down at the sheet of paper that sat on top of the canvas. IDEAS was written at the top, with nothing below it. This was going to be harder than she thought.

Isabelle sighed, letting the subject fall and leaned over Clary's shoulder. "I still think we should do a tiger."

The next six weeks were going to be torturous…

* * *

"So, Friday you come over to my house. We'll actually start on this stupid project you won't let me work on instead of just talking about drama in class. I'll fix you up for one of the football games, Sebastian's or Alec's, and then we'll head to the party, deal?"

Clary rolled her eyes at Isabelle as they stepped through the back doors and out to the parking lot. Afternoon traffic was the worst. It was like playing Frogger and trying not to die on the way to her bike in the back parking lot. Teenagers were just too impatient to drive, her included. They were running, sprinting to their cars and not even apologizing when guys ran into girls. Others were in their own little world, almost getting run over three or four times as they walked like zombies. And then there were the lovebirds that were oblivious to the world around them. Clary would probably laugh if they actually got hit by car. She hated happy couples.

She pulled her keys out of her pocket, twirling them with the lanyard. "You're forgetting one tiny detail."

"What's that?"

"I'm not going to the game or that stupid party. I promised Simon I'd stay at his house so we can have a movie night."

Isabelle, much to Clary's horror, squealed and clapped her hands together. "Awe! A fake date! That's so cute!"

Clary rolled her eyes, looking over to her bike where Simon was standing, leaning against his truck with his nose in a comic book. Sometimes she wondered if he tried to look like a nerd on purpose. Everything he did just screamed of insecurity and shyness. "Shut up. I'll see you in art tomorrow, okay?"

A hand reached over, gripping Clary's arm as she tried to pull away. "Wait," Isabelle said. "I still need to talk to you about something."

She dipped her head back, sighing loudly and showing that she was clearly annoyed. "What is it?"

"Jace. Just, don't mess with him, okay?"

Clary swiveled at that, turning to face the much taller Isabelle. The girl looked sincere enough, though Clary couldn't figure out why. "What are you even talking about?"

"Don't hurt him, please."

"Hurt him? I'm pretty sure he's the one that hurts people, not the other way around. And after what he's done to Simon all last year, he could use a good beating."

Isabelle's hands went to her hips. "Look, although I'm sure you'd be more than capable of holding your own in a fight, being physical with him wasn't what I was talking about." Clary just stared, genuinely confused, and Isabelle took a step closer, lowering her voice when students started passing by. "Like I said, Jace likes you, but he's just confused. I care about him, and I don't want to see him heartbroken on purpose. And neither do I want you to get hurt in that process."

It took all of Clary's energy not to roll her eyes, snort, or deny that fact. Clary wouldn't say Jace liked her, but more of picked on her and bugged her for his own entertainment. Most of the time she just wished he would leave her alone.

Isabelle stepped back, flicking her hair over her shoulder and retaining her upper class posture. "And I want you to be careful with him. He's got a troubled past, one that I'm not really allowed to discuss, but he has reasons for the things he does. Sometimes it doesn't always make sense to us, but it makes sense to him. And he's always on about you, something I've never seen out of him."

"So?" Clary repeated. "I've known the guy for less than forty eight hours."

"But he's still interested."

"He's still interested in Aline," Clary shot back. And to prove her point, she stuck her finger out, pointing towards Jace's car that sat thirty yards away. Alec was nowhere to be found, but Jace had his duffel bag over his shoulder and his lips connected to the very annoying, very clingy Aline Penhallow. She had her hands in his hair, pulling him down to her and he wasn't exactly doing anything to stop her.

"I wouldn't really say he was interested in her." Clary ignored Isabelle's retort using her own words and shrugged, but Lightwood wouldn't drop the subject. "Look, all I'm asking is don't play with him, and don't let him in if you plan on hurting him. Be careful. For both your sakes."

And with that, she left Clary standing there, confused and dumbfounded.

Her mind raced back to all the information that just rolled past her. Jace likes her – doubtful, but alright. His past – what was Isabelle talking about? Clary didn't know, but she couldn't stop herself from being curious about it. And Isabelle wants her to be careful. But with what exactly? His poor, black heart that's four sizes too small? A relationship with her and Jace was about as likely as her father and mother coming back together. In other words, it was impossible.

She shook her head, hiking her bag up her shoulder again. There was no point in worrying about it, so she headed towards Simon in a daze, her mind reeling.

And she didn't even get a word in. Simon dropped his comic in his front window, looked up her through his glasses, and asked in a very rude tone, "What did Her Royal Highness want to talk to you about this time?"

Clary didn't see the point in lying to him. "Jace," she answered, sliding onto her bike with ease.

Simon tossed the comic through the window, taking a few steps closer to her. "What about him?"

"What does it matter? I don't like him, and it's pretty obvious the feeling is mutual."

He nodded, taking her answer as the truth, which to Clary, it pretty much was. "Well, you ready to go? Luke wants me at the store early today, and I was hoping you could stay too. It wasn't as boring with you there yesterday."

At least he'd dropped the subject. Clary smiled, nodding as she reached back and grabbed her helmet. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

_The Savannah College of Art and Design, an institution with distinctive yet complementary locations, will be recognized as the leader in defining art and design education. By employing innovation in all areas, SCAD will provide a superior education through talented and dedicated faculty and staff, leading-edge technology, advanced learning resources and comprehensive support services._

Clary sighed, leaning her chin in her hand as she stared at the computer screen. That was her dream college. It was the one place, the one get away that she could think of after she graduated. Granted, she still had almost three years, but the idea of finally leaving this place, of going where she wanted without her family nagging her about it was something that she constantly thought about.

Just the idea of being on her own made her happier than anything else in this world. Sure, Savannah was five hours away, and she'd never see her family but she didn't nowadays anyway so it wasn't much of a difference. She might as well have been kicked out of the house since her expulsion on Friday. It was like she barely had a family since that event. And Savannah would be a new place to start over. She'd have a clean slate. No father or brother that people hated or feared, and no reputation that was frowned upon. She'd just be Clary. No more. No less.

Her fingers found the mouse to the computer, flipping through pictures of the college. It was a beautiful campus close to the beach, instead of this dead country town, where everything as close around the city. Proximity is something she's missed since New York, even if she was so young that she barely remembered. She just knew that walking to school was so much better than a twenty minute drive on country roads surrounded by trees.

She seriously had to get out of here.

"Simon! Where is the City of Bones from that Mortal Instruments series? You know the first book about the demons and whatnot? Maia was looking for it earlier today and I couldn't find it."

Clary turned away from the screen, back to the rest of the bookstore behind her. Simon was standing behind a counter, scanning books and putting them in different stacks. Behind him, in an open door that led to the main office, was Luke, the owner.

He was a nice guy, as far as Clary could tell and extremely old fashioned. His clothes weren't exactly the newest thing, and his brown hair could use a trim, along with his beard, but he was very generous to his employees. Simon always talked about him like he was a father, and Clary couldn't help but actually like him. Even her hatred for all adults faded when he talked to her, which wasn't much, but it was enough.

Simon shrugged, scanning another book and throwing it in a different pile. "I haven't seen it. The others are on isle four with the fantasy stories."

"I don't need the others. I need the first one." Luke stepped up beside him, neither of them paying Clary any attention.

She was pretty much in the corner, by herself, which she didn't mind. It was dark, secluded, and no one would really see her unless they knew she was there. She liked that. Liked the idea of not being confronted for once.

Watching how those two acted together was intriguing. Like a father and child relationship that actually meant something. She didn't have that. Parental relationships were foreign to her completely.

Luke sighed. "I promised Maia that I would find it for her."

"She's already read it a thousand times. I'm pretty sure she could just recite it by heart."

Luke picked up a book, looking at the bindings. "Well, if you find it, let me know."

"Will do, boss!" Simon saluted to Luke like an Army sergeant, and he just shook his head and ruffled the younger boy's hair in response before heading back to his office.

Clary's heart broke when she witnessed and quickly turned back to her screen. That was the same kind of gesture that Jonathan and her father used to do. Back when they actually talked to each other and cared. That was so long ago that she barely remembered it.

It hurt. Just thinking about it was painful. Her life had been flipped upside down, twisted, pulled, and reversed over and over again to the point she was about to explode. Thinking back to the times where things were actually right and her family was actually happy made it harder to live in the present.

All she wanted to do was focus on college. Even if she was just a sophomore, she wanted to focus on getting the hell out of there. Get as far away as possible in the shortest amount of time. Was that so much to ask for? Her fingers moved the mouse, flipping through more pictures when the front bell dinged and someone walked in. Just from his voice, Clary knew who it was and he took all over her attention.

"Lewis, I was hoping you were working tonight."

She practically fell out of her seat. Between Jace and Isabelle, she couldn't get away. And sure enough, when she turned, ducked behind one of the bookcases, and poked her head around, she saw him. Jace in all of his arrogance strode up to the counter, leaning on his elbow as Simon tried his best to ignore him and focus on his job.

"Lewis," Jace repeated, cocking his head to the side. "Are you in there?"

Simon kept his head down. "What do you want?"

"I need a book."

Bullshit, Clary thought. Jace Herondale was not the kind of guy that read. She expected some kind of sarcastic remark from Simon, something along the lines of Jace's illiteracy. Even if he could read, Clary could see Jace reading something like 2 Weeks to Rock Hard Abs or some dirty magazine with naked women in them.

Instead, Simon dropped his scanner, turned his body towards the computer, and grabbed the mouse. "Which one?"

"Did the _The Fault in Our Stars_ ever come in?"

Clary's jaw almost dropped. There was no way. No freaking way Jace actually wanted to read that. It was a heartfelt book, one of her favorites actually. Jace wasn't the type of guy that read those books. No way. She wanted to ask, to figure out why he was so strange in her mind, but Luke came out of his office before she got the change. Besides, hiding out was better than confronting him anyway.

"And that new Spiderman comic book," Jace added as his eyes met Luke's.

"Well, Jace, to what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?" he asked, dropping another book in a pile that Simon had yet to scan.

Jace shrugged, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, and Clary just stared. Even though she hated him, she also hated herself for actually finding him attractive. The gesture made him look younger, more child-like and innocent, but more dangerous at the same time. Isabelle made him sound troubled, and Clary could see it. The way he moved looked like he was carrying a thousand secrets on his shoulder. But the rest of his posture screamed at people not to ask about them either.

"I was bored and hoped that one of the new books had come in," Jace said.

"I don't want any trouble," Luke said with a stern voice. Clary figured that she was practically invisible at this point in her dark, little corner behind all the bookshelves, and slid back into the desk chair, watching the three men chit chat. It probably looked creepy to anyone else but her. She felt like James Bond, eaves dropping on the bad guy.

Jace shrugged. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just wanted a few books and to ask Simon a few questions."

Simon froze, looking up from the screen. "About what?" His glasses almost fell of his face at the quick movement, and he pushed them back up quickly.

It was quiet for a moment, before Jace pulled his hands out of his pockets, put them on the counter, and leaned into it. "A girl. I wanted to ask you if she was here. She's normally with you anyway."

"What girl?" Luke asked confused. Although Clary could've sworn she saw his eyes flicker over towards her corner, but was so brief she probably imagined it.

Jace looked right at Simon. "One of Simon's friends," he answered, emphasizing the word friend. "It's no big deal."

"What's her name?"

If Jace was annoyed or frustrated, Clary couldn't tell. His face was unreadable, especially from the side angle that she was watching from. "I don't exactly know her name. She's keeping it from me."

A proud smile broke across Luke's face. "Smart girl."

"You know, I'm not as bad as you make me out to be," Jace snapped.

"But you are," Simon shot back. "And she's not here. So you can go."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me where I can find her."

Luke started moving around the counter, coming to stand next to Jace. "Calm down. If Simon says she isn't here, she isn't here. And you'd have to hold me at gun point before I give over any address information. I know you, and that's what worries me."

Wow. Clary wondered for a minute if Simon and Luke hid other girls from Jace around here, considering they seemed to be dealing out this little lie pretty well. Luke was the authority, while Simon was the kid that always looked like he was telling the truth. She'd have to remember that when she wanted to hide from her father next time. But what other girls actually hid from Jace? No one as far as she could tell.

"Then, where is she?"

"Jace," Luke slowly put his hand up, pushing against Jace's chest with the slightest force. "I think it's time for you to leave."

Jace didn't fight much, but Clary could tell he was reluctant about leaving. His hands turned into fists when Luke gently nudged him towards the door. "I know how to be civil, Luke," he said. "I'm not going to hurt Simon, I promise."

Luke seemed to consider this for a moment, looking back at Simon before dropping his hand. "Simon, I'll be in my office if you need anything." And then, it was just Simon, Jace, and a hidden Clary in an empty bookstore late that night. She actually didn't mind spending a lot of time here, surprisingly, and so far things hadn't gotten too dull and boring.

Apparently, anything could walk through that door at any given moment.

Simon waited until Luke's office door shut, before glaring at Jace. "If she doesn't want to talk to you, it isn't my problem. I'm not helping you hurt her."

Jace's hand went to his hair, pulling at the back of it. "Come on, Lewis. I get that I haven't exactly been a friend to you, but how about we do an eye for an eye kind of thing. You help me with whatever her name him, and I'll help you."

"What could you possible offer me?"

Jace smirked , and even from the side Clary could see how it lit up his face. "Isabelle. I can put in a good word for you."

Simon threw his hands up in the air. "Why does everything think I'm obsessed with her? She's a bitch to me, so no, Herondale, I'm not interested in her. You can take all your arrogance and connections out the door if that's all you have to offer."

"You can't tell me you don't have the hots for her."

"Easy," Simon looked right at Jace. "I. Don't. Have. Feelings. For. Isabelle. Lightwood." Simon pronounced each word with conviction, like he was talking to a child but trying to prove a point at the same time.

Jace snapped his fingers, like a light bulb went off in his head. "But you think she's gorgeous, right? I get that you're into Tiger, but no one compares to Izzy."

At this point, even Clary was over the whole Simon and Isabelle thing. Doing it herself was much more appealing and now that Jace agreed with her, she never wanted to speak of it again. Never would she ever want to have an agreement with Jace. Besides, it was obvious Simon and Isabelle was a no go. She tried that road, and failed. Jace was just more determined than she was apparently. Not to mention what he said was a tad bit insulting to her.

And Simon was getting sick of it. His hands went back to grabbing books and scanning them, shaking his head. "Look, every guy at school thinks she's the next Megan Fox. I'm not any different from them."

"Sure you are," Jace exclaimed. "You're friends with the new girl, which no one else is. Isabelle is just as curious about her as I am. She's not getting all the answers she wants, and you know how Isabelle is when she doesn't get what she wants. Plus, she's not helping me much when it comes to getting alone time with her either."

"Look, I'm not helping you with her. I owe you nothing. I've hated you and your little group since I started high school. And nothing you can do will help your case. So here," he held a book out to Jace. Well, actually, he tossed it to him and the blonde boy had to put his hands up so it didn't smack him in the face, "take your book and go. There's nothing else for you here."

Jace's strong left hand gripped the book tight. "Name it."

"Name what?"

"You're price, dammit." Jace leaned forward, back to his first position with his elbow on the counter. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. I just want her to be civil with me and actually give me a chance. And Isabelle can't do that on her own apparently."

Simon laughed, shaking his head. "Jace, she's not sleeping with you."

"That's not what I want."

"That's what you've wanted since you hit puberty."

"Not true! I–"

"JACE!" Clary shifted in her seat, watching as a boy stormed into the store, the bell ringing behind him. He looked to be young, about nine or ten, with dark hair, glasses, and clothes that were a bit too big. He kind of looked like a younger Simon in a way. The kid ran up to Jace, stopping beside him and frowning at the book in his hand. "Hey!" he pointed. "That's not my comic book."

He was precious. Clary just smiled to herself. Absolutely adorable wasn't even enough to describe this kid. He was the kind of boy that people just wanted to hug, like a little puppy, and pinch his cheeks.

Simon pointed towards Clary, and she froze for a moment. "It's over there, Max. You know where they are."

"Go on," Jace encouraged. "I'll be a minute."

Clary leaned back in her seat, not sure what to do when Max approached her. He skipped down the isle, looking more like he was tripping than actually being graceful about it, and when he finally saw Clary at the end of the isle, he froze.

She put her finger up to her lips, keeping him quiet when he opened his mouth. Then, like it was a little game, he skipped over towards her, smiling like he was about to get some candy.

"What are you doing over here by yourself?" he whispered. At least he got the idea that she didn't exactly want to be found.

"I'm working on school stuff," she answered, pointing behind her to the computer. "Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Max Lightwood," he said proudly and pointed to himself.

Clary smiled, holding out her hand and he took it. "Lightwood? As in, Isabelle and Alec?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "They're my cool older brother and sister."

Something didn't add up. Clary glanced back over at Jace and Simon, who seemed to be in an deep and complicated argument that Simon wasn't a fan of, before looking back down at Max. "What are you doing here with him?"

"Jace?" Max asked. Clary nodded. "Well, he's kind of like my brother. He sleeps over lots with Alec when he doesn't want to go home, and he promises to bring me here for comics whenever I want. He's super dooper nice and I love him a lot. Plus, he's really funny and makes me laugh. And when he fights with Isabelle, he wins a lot. I like that since I can't beat her."

Wow. Clary wasn't expecting that. When she first met Jace, she thought he was just an asshole. Granted, she still thought that with every fiber of her being and hated him for whatever he did to Simon, but this kid made him out to be like the perfect older brother. Maybe, just maybe, somewhere under all that hatred and fire that burned inside of him was a tiny, miniature piece of kindness that he only shared with this kid. Clary doubted it, but she could be hopeful, right?

"You're the one he has a crush on, right?" Max asked. Clary's eyes widened, but Max's grey eyes looked like he already knew the answer by his smile. "You know, Jace. You're Clary."

She jerked back at that, seriously confused. "Okay, how do you know my name?"

"Izzy told me about you." He pulled his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels in a similar fashion to Jace's stance earlier. "She said that Jace has a crush on you but I'm not allowed to tell your name to him."

Clary looked up at Jace, cocking her head to the side involuntarily. The thought wasn't exactly revolting now that it was starting to ring true... "Did she now?"

"Yeah. And she said that you were pretty, nice, and gave Jace a run for his money." He frowned slightly, scratching his head. "Not that I really know what that means. Izzy just said to keep it a secret."

"Max?" Jace called out, and Clary looked up to see him backing towards the door. "You ready buddy?"

Buddy? That was absolutely adorable. Clary looked down at Max. He was already backing up down the isle, smiling at her before he turned and sprinted back to the light filled center of the store, and she winked at him before he met up with Jace at the end of the isle.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Jace asked, looking down at Max's empty hands.

Max shook his head. "No, I found something better, but I didn't really think it was a good idea to take it."

"What is it?"

"It's a secret!" And with that Max ran out the door, followed by a very confused, very lost Jace.

* * *

Clary shuffled with her keys nervously. The summer night was warm and beautiful. Stars filled the sky when she looked up from her spot on her bike. This was the only thing that she ever really liked about the country. The way the moonlight would shine through leaves and how the stars seemed to move when the wind blew the limbs about was the one thing Clary couldn't get in the city.

She looked down to her hands, tilting the keys and watching as the moonlight shined off of them at different angles. It would be a great thing to paint if she was able to catch the light just perfectly.

"What are you so deep in thought about?"

Clary looked up to see Simon, walking towards her. "I'm just thinking about art stuff."

"Aren't you always," he smiled. Then it fell when Clary didn't really return it. She felt his body next to hers as he reached down, his hand covering hers on one of the handle bars. "Clary, what's wrong?"

"You'd be upset if I told you," she mumbled. She jerked her hand away from him, starting the bike loudly, but he stopped her from moving. "Simon, I have to get home."

"Is this about what Jace said earlier?"

"Look, Simon–"

"He's trouble, Clary," he interrupted. "No matter how sincere he is, he's always going to be trouble. You're pretty much my only friend at school, so do you really blame me for not wanting you to get hurt?"

He had a point. Clary wouldn't want one of her friends to get mixed up with a guy like Jace, so why should she? Everything Simon said was true. And besides, what kind of guy kisses a girl in the parking lot after school, only to go around asking about another girl to different people? Jace is a player, and players play with people's hearts until they break. The last thing Clary needed was more pain on top of everything else.

Simon sat back on his heels, making himself look up into Clary's eyes. "Hey, promise me you won't get mixed up with someone like him. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

"I promise," she answered, and it wasn't just a promise to him. She had to make that promise to herself. She was going to stay away from Jace, forever. He was bad for her, trouble, and keeping her distance was the best thing to do.

Hopefully, she'll have the strength to keep such a promise. That was the hard part.

* * *

**REVIEW :) Its what keeps me writing. I love it when you guys love it, and I really take into account what you all disagree with. Just remember, in this story, Jace is basically just friends with Isabelle and Alec. Someone said they thought it was kind of gross that she changes in front of him, but they have no relations to each other whatsoever. **

**So let me know what you think! Stay tuned!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Welcome to Castle of Drama

Clary pulled up into her driveway in the dark, turning her headlights off and popping the kickstand. The last thing she wanted was to walk into that house. All the indicators of her horrible life were sitting right in front of her, telling her to turn around and sleep on a park bench instead. Jonathan's bike was there. Her dad's truck was there. The lights to the living room were on. Silence emitted through the door. A chill went down her body at how bad it could be in there. She didn't know what was worse: Her father and brother fighting or when they weren't speaking?

Sometimes, she'd hoped that she could just deal with them one at a time. She can handle just Jonathan or just her father, and the only time they ever make it through the night with all three of them is they're all asleep already. She glanced to the right of the two story, wooden house, seeing the oak tree just outside her window. It wouldn't take much to climb up it and into her window. She never locked it for this particular reason. Many times Sebastian had crawled through that very window, avoiding her father and sometimes, even her brother. It was the most convenient thing about the house. Everyone seemed to be doing that more and more lately.

But she didn't feel like using all that energy now. She was too tired from the talks with Isabelle. That girl was constantly wishy washy about Jace, saying he's a good guy but she needed to stay clear of him. It seemed as if she didn't even know what to say most of the time. Not to mention that Clary's head was hurting from thinking of him in the first place. It was a constant wheel in her head, his picture popping up every once in a while when she finally thought she'd distracted herself. It was worse that Simon could tell Jace was on her mind. Was she getting that readable? Jace sure as hell bothered her though, in a good and bad way. And everyone was warning her about him, even his own friends. What was she supposed to think?

She refused to let him get to her. It was easier when she told herself about all of his bad traits, not that he had much. He was arrogant, cocky, thought he was God's gift to the world, egotistical, had the smile of an angel, perfect golden eyes, muscles that–

"Stop it, moron," she said to herself. There was no point in going down that road. She wouldn't get involved with someone like him. Not in a million years.

She slid off her bike, hiking her bag up her shoulder. Her body was stiff from sitting at the bookstore, at school, and now on her bike. It wasn't exactly the comfortable ride, and Clary made a mental note to start stretching more. She made her way up the stairs, helmet in hand and noticed the front door was open. Not wide open, but it was cracked like someone was rushed to get in and forgot to close it. Nothing was broken, so at least she could rule out someone breaking in.

"That's such horse shit!"

Clary froze at the voice, the door slowly opening from the little pressure she gave with the palm of her hand. Her brother sounded pissed, more than pissed. He sounded like he was about to pull out a gun and blow up the town. Clary didn't doubt that he actually could if he wanted to.

"Don't talk to me like that. You shut you're trap before I shut it for you, Jonathan. We've gone over this, and I'm not doing it again."

And that would be her father, also angry. Clary stepped inside, seriously debating about leaving and heading to Sebastian's or Simon's. Maybe she could stay with one of them for the next three years. It sounded better than dealing with the testosterone Hulks in the living room.

Clary shut the door behind her, making sure it clicked softly and dropped her helmet and book bag on the floor. Her body moved her forward while her mind screamed at her to turn around and run, but before it could take over, she was stepping through the threshold and into a mess much bigger than she could've imagined.

Angry didn't even describe how these two men were. Both Jonathan and her father were dressed in their football uniforms, navy and white covering their bodies with tennis shoes. Jonathan had some dirt covering his face, the hair on his head messed up and sticking in directions. His look could kill, and Clary was glad it wasn't directed at her for once. But her father looked just as bad, standing up in front of the two kids on the couch, looking down on them with disappointment.

And that's when Clary realized it. It wasn't just Jonathan. Kaelie, Kaelie Dermon sat by her brother, on the couch, her arm linked through Jonathan's with a smug expression on her face. Her hair was more messed up than normal, blonde pieces coming out of the bun that sat on top of her head. She glanced up at Clary when she stopped in the living room, and smiled.

Clary wanted nothing more than to punch her face in at that moment, for the second time. The girl had recovered from Clary's assault pretty well. There was no black eye, and her nose didn't look too damaged, if at all. Too bad. Clary made a mental note to hit her harder next time.

"You can't stop us," Jonathan said. "Kaelie is seventeen, and I'm eighteen. I can do whatever the hell I want, and I don't need your permission."

"As long as you live under my roof, you'll be doing exactly as I say," her father shot back. "You will not be sleeping with Kaelie as long as you are my son, living in my house, and playing for my team. Don't think I won't kick you out for not obeying my rules. You. Will. NOT. Embarrass. Me."

Jonathan shook his head, actually laughing in her father's face. That's when her father snapped. He stepped forward, grabbing the front of Jonathan's shirt and lifting him up, just to slam him back down again. He did it like it was nothing, the muscles in his arms straining and holding Jonathan down as he struggled. Kaelie had screamed slightly, scurrying to the opposite end of the couch, away from her boyfriend and his angry father.

Clary snickered at her, but focused quickly back on her family.

Jonathan reached up, trying to push his father off of him, but he wasn't strong enough. A single hand gripped both of his, and the other pinned his chest down. "Now you listen," Valentine growled. "You're not going to be having sex with her, not in my house. You better believe that I will kick you out in a heartbeat. Like you said, you're eighteen, and if you feel like you can be out on your own, go ahead and try. You'll fail so quickly and crawl back here, begging for my help again. But just remember, you'll have no family, no football, no career, so get used to working fast food. Because she," he pointed at Kaelie, "is going to give you that kind of future."

Jonathan barred his teeth up at his father. "You can't kick me off the team. You'd lose every game if it wasn't for me."

"I've won six state championships without you. I can do it again, and I will."

"Sebastian won't play for you without me. And don't even think for a second that any of those pansies in the second string can replace us."

Football? Clary couldn't believe this. They were seriously arguing about football right now? Jonathan and Kaelie were caught, obviously by her father, doing God knows what, and now they were on the subject of her father's reputation? How does that even happen?

"You can't beat Wayland without me," Jonathan continued. Clary saw a familiar glint in his eyes when he met his father's gaze. "He'll rip you apart like the pansy you are."

Valentine's grip tightened in his shirt again. "Watch what you say Jonathan."

"I'm not scared of you, Dad." Jonathan made the word sound like it was the worst thing in the world, not that Clary really blamed him.

Her father paused for a moment, before slowly pulling back and releasing Jonathan. He hovered over him for a minute, staring down at him. "Fine. Do whatever the hell you want, but be at practice early tomorrow, or you're off the team and out of this house. Good luck on the street with a bimbo like her." With that said, he stormed away, heading to his office that connected to the living room on the opposite side and slammed the door shut.

"Enjoy the show?"

Clary turned from her father's disappeared form towards the couch. Jonathan had sat up now, looking at her with boredeyes. Even if he didn't know she was there, he didn't show his surprise. If anything, he looked annoyed.

But her attention quickly went to the bitch who was talking to her. "What the hell are you even doing here?"

"Calm down," Jonathan said. "Dad was just having one of his moments. He'll be cooled off by tomorrow when he realizes he wants another championship under his belt. And he knows that with Lightwood leading East, he needs me."

Clary didn't believe that. "That was worse than one of his moments. Jonathan, he tried to slam you into the couch."

Her brother stood, Kaelie following him but he pushed her behind him as he stepped forward. It was like he thought Clary would punch her again, and it hurt knowing he'd protect his girlfriend and not his own sister. "Clary, I can handle him. So stop with this fake 'I'm worried about you' crap. You act like you care, but we all know you don't."

"That's not true."

He slipped his hand into Kaelie's, pulling her after him as he headed towards the stairs. "Whatever."

Anger flooded through Clary as he brushed past her, and she reached out, grabbing his bicep and pulling him back. "You need to stop making this worse for all of us. This bitch," she pointed to Kaelie, "is pulling our entire family apart. We were getting along fine, not great, but fine before she came into the picture."

"Don't blame this on her." He snapped, his hand releasing Kaelie's and Clary found herself pushed up against the wall, hard. Pain shot down her back as a picture fell to the floor, glass shattering. Jonathan was there, his hand on her shoulder. His eyes burning with the same fire he had a few days ago. But Sebastian wasn't here to stop him this time. Clary couldn't do anything against his strength when he grabbed her chin roughly, pulling her face to look him in the eyes. "None of this is her fault. What's happening is because Dad can't handle his shit, you can't think before you act, and our forgotten mother never gave two fucks about us. This is why our family is falling apart. Kaelie has nothing to do with it."

"She plays a big part in your piss-off attitude. You actually cared about things before she came along and put out for you."

"No, she's the one keeping me under control." Clary swallowed, realizing how crazed her brother actually looked at the moment. He looked down, taking a deep breath, and backed away from her, but it didn't make the fear in her stomach disappear. He reached behind him, grabbing Kaelie's hand again, and pulled her up the stairs, but paused before he disappeared. He looked back at Clary momentarily. "Stay the hell away from us if you know what's good for you, Clary."

She then proceeded to fall to the ground when she heard his door shut. Her back was in pain, and she was sure it would bruise, along with her chin. It hurt when he grabbed her, his fingers digging into her chin. She touched it slightly with her fingertips, flinching when pain shot through it. Great, that was definitely going to bruise, and it would not be easy to cover it up.

This wasn't the first time something like that had happened. Jonathan's aggressive side came out more and more lately, and without Sebastian's strength to stop him, there wasn't a thing she could do but take it. She had to be submissive, otherwise she'd just get hurt even worse. Last time she tried to fight back, he almost choked her to death. The kind brother that she grew up with was fading fast, and he was getting replaced with this reckless, dangerous assaulter.

The thought of having to stay in the same house as him had Clary wanting to cry.

And not to mention Kaelie being there, doing God knows what with her brother at the moment. Sometimes, Clary just wanted to put a bullet between those cold, blue eyes. The thought was actually appealing.

But staying here wasn't. Clary rose to her feet, her hands shaking from the adrenaline that was still pumping through her veins. She couldn't stay, couldn't see her family, couldn't see Kaelie again. Getting out was the only thing she could do, so she grabbed her bag and her helmet, pulled her phone out, and headed out the door.

_ You've reached Sebastian Verlac, leave a message._

Clary cursed as voicemail took over, bouncing down the stairs at the same time. Sebastian _would_ be busy on the night she needed him the most. So she tried Simon, but got the same response. Voicemail. Was God punishing her for something? She glanced up at the night sky, wondering if that really was the case before an idea popped into her head.

It was insane. Actually, it was stupidly insane. But what else could she do? At this moment in her life, she had two friends, and one acquaintance. And her friends weren't exactly being helpful right now.

So Clary dialed the number, thinking this was the dumbest idea she's ever had as she walked towards her bike. She pulled the phone up to her ear, and just as she reached the bike, Isabelle answered.

"Hello?"

"I need a favor."

* * *

The Lightwood house was not what Clary was ready for. Isabelle had warned her, saying their house was a bit bigger than normal houses and gave Clary the code to get into the gate, but she wasn't ready for this.

What was standing in front of her was the castle that Princess Mia stayed in during the Princess Diaries movies, only a bit smaller. For a family of five, it was still too extreme though. It was half the size of the movie castle, two stories instead of three with no towers, but it still resembled it pretty well. The stone work around the outside was placed perfectly. The windows looked to be floor length all along the front, stacking on top of each other and reaching all the way around. The stairs that led up to the front door was also made of the expensive looking stone, but the circle drive Clary was parked in was actually made of fancy looking brick. And the fountain behind her in the middle of the circle probably cost more than her entire house. It had a statue of an angel, holding a sword in one and a cup in the other while being surrounded by flames at the bottom, water shooting out around him.

This place was way out of Clary's comfort zone.

She slid off her bike, pulling her helmet off and letting her hair fall down around her shoulders and down her back. She did a full three sixty turn, taking in the trees that were strategically planted along the driveway, the garden to the left that looked like it looped around the back of the house, and the open field to the left. It was the dream house for all children, all girls that wanted to be royalty when they grew up. Simon wasn't kidding when he called Isabelle a princess.

"You must be Ms. Clarissa."

Clary turned back to the house to find a man descending the stairs. He wasn't much older than her, but wasn't Alec or Jace. This man wore a suit, and Clary guessed he was a butler of some kind. With a house like this, the Lightwood family definitely needed a butler... or four.

"I'm Magnus Bane." He bowed to her, making her even more uncomfortable than before. Clary was still trying to recover from her brother's assault, and dealing with this whole new environment wasn't something she was ready for either. The last thing she ever felt was special, and he made it seem like she was some VIP guest. He straightened up, smiling down at her. "Isabelle has instructed me to show me to her room."

Clary looked around, making sure he was actually talking to her before shrugging. "Uh, sure. And can you call me Clary?"

He nodded, his smile still in place as he looked at her. "Absolutely, Clary."

She pointed behind her, towards he bike. "Am I supposed to move my bike somewhere or something?"

Magnus shook his head, reaching behind her and grabbing her bag from her. She let him, knowing it was probably his job, but she wasn't really comfortable with it. "No ma'am. I can move it to the garage for you once you're inside. My orders are to take you upstairs as soon as possible."

"Thanks, I guess," Clary said, although it kind of sounded like a question. She was thankful for the faint lights from the poles around the drive when Magnus stepped forward, reaching his arm out. At least he wouldn't actually be able to see what a wreck she was. Her arm looped through his, and he gently pulled her towards the castle, up the stairs, and he pushed open the double doors for her, stepping aside to let her enter.

Nothing could've prepared her for this. She instantly felt underdressed in her jeans and tight red V-neck. The ballroom she emerged in felt like the places that people like her were banned from. Normal folk weren't allowed here, especially people with a messed up family that lived off of a teacher's salary. Even if her dad made more money than most because of his coaching success, she still felt like this kind of upper-class was out of her reach.

It was beautiful. On the floor was a picture of another angel, like the one outside. He was tinted gold, holding just a sword that faced down now. The tiles were arranged neatly, so many aspects of his features were clearly visible. The artist design of the rest of the room sparked Clary's interest immediately. Paintings hung on the wall of more angels, all holding certain items and looking intimidating. They were all masterpieces, and Clary's hand itched to get her hands on them, to trace the patterns with her own fingertips and really examine them.

Magnus had other plans, as he stepped up beside her. "Right this way." He walked forward towards a large set of stairs. "In case you haven't notice, the Lightwoods are a great fan of the angels. This one," he pointed to the floor as they passed over the golden man, "is known as Raziel. No one really knows much about the angels, or even if they are real, but many believe that he is the strongest of them all."

Clary followed him up the stairs to the second floor as he pointed out more pictures, naming off more angels and the aspects that stuck them out from the others. She watched in awe, amazed at how much he knew about it, and before she realized it, they were stopped in front of door.

Magnus knocked three times, before stepping back, arms linked behind him. "Ms. Isabelle?"

"Come in," she called from inside. Magnus stepped up and pushed the door open, letting Clary enter first.

She was bombarded by purple and pink. Everywhere. From the sheets, to the rug, to the walls. Clary took a moment to focus, and her eyes finally landed on Isabelle's spot on the bed.

Her back was against the headboard of a king sized bed. Her legs were straight out in front of her. Clary felt extremely awkward when she realized Isabelle was dressed in nothing but a thin night shirt and tight boy shorts. IT didn't leave much to imagination, and Clary didn't feel like imaging any of that.

"Ms. Clary has arrived," Magnus bowed, once again, and gently placed her bag against the wall by the door.

Isabelle smiled, her eyes meeting Clary's and they actually looked happy to see her. "Thank you Magnus." She paused. "Where are the others?"

"I do believe that Master Alec and Jace are now in the training room. When Jace came back, he was extremely angry and Alec volunteered to help him let off some steam. And young Max is in his room, finishing up his homework."

Isabelle seemed to think about this for a moment, before nodding. "Please don't let anyone know that Clary is here yet, okay Magnus? I don't want anyone asking questions, and Max will be up here in a heartbeat if he knows she's here."

Clary's eyebrows arched at that, but she didn't say anything. Magnus agreed quickly and before Clary knew it, she was alone with Isabelle as the door clicked behind her. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Someone like her didn't sit on the silk sheets, or walk on the clean carpet of a princess's room. So she stood there, looking around and avoiding Isabelle's gaze that was burning into her.

It didn't last long. Isabelle slid off the bed with a grace that Clary would kill for, and walked towards her without a word. Then, she wrapped her arms around the younger girl and Clary realized what was happening. Isabelle was hugging her. What? Her body was frozen for a while, trying to comprehend what brought this behavior on. But eventually, she just hugged back, not really sure what to think since her head barely came up to Isabelle's nose. But she did it, none the less, and it actually felt nice.

Having a 'friend' who was actually a girl might not be such a bad thing after all. "You don't have to talk about it," Isabelle said. "You really don't."

"Thanks." Clary pulled back. "And thank you for letting me stay here. I know I haven't been nice and–"

"My best friend is Jace Herondale," Isabelle said with a smile. "You're a sweetheart compared to him. We can just start over, forget everything that happened, deal?" Clary couldn't refuse the sound of that. "Now come on, you need to change."

Isabelle's ability to actually make her feel at home shocked her. She made sure that the shower was good and warm before tossing Clary a towel, handing her a t-shirt and some panties and shorts that she claimed were new so Clary didn't have to worry, and let her loose in the giant bathroom.

It literally was the size of her bedroom back home. She didn't want to be rude though, and she just thanked Isabelle before stepping into the shower. She scrubbed and watched, careful with her face because her chin was still a bit sore whenever something touched it. She wanted to wash her past away, scrubbing her body like she could stop the fact that she was a Morgenstern, but that was just being optimistic. Nothing could stop the fact that Jonathan was her brother, but she could do everything she can to forget it.

Once she was out of the shower and dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror above the sink.

This definitely wasn't one of her better days. Her eyes were red, even though she'd yet to let the tears escape. Crying wasn't something she associated herself with. She had pulled her dark, wet, red curls up into a but at the top of her head, a few drops of water falling down her neck but she ignored it. Her eyes were rimmed with faint, black circles and her chin had started to change from the normal, pale color to a light green and purple.

How was she supposed to explain that?

Why the hell did Jonathan have to do that? She knew she couldn't always control her mouth, but at least she tried. Unlike him. He never tried to control his aggression, which is probably where she got her snappy personality from. If she ever had to see him again, it would be way too soon.

Clary heard the sound of Isabelle's door opening and closing, and her heart stopped for a moment, thinking it was Jace.

"Hey sis, can I talk to you?"

Alec, thank God. Clary let her breath out in a relieve sigh and closed her eyes. As long as it wasn't Jace. Anything but Jace.

"Now isn't really a good time," Isabelle said.

"It's about Jace."

She heard the sound of Isabelle walking, and Clary moved to press her ear against the door. She was curious, whether she liked that or not. "Alec, I have bigger things to worry about. Whatever Jace did, he'll figure it out on his own."

"But he won't stop!" Alec yelled loudly. "He's in the training room, and he won't leave. I've begged him to put the gloves up and stop boxing for the past thirty minutes, and he did, just to start doing some cardio workouts, and when I asked him to stop that, he jumped right into some abs, then to arm workouts, and you get the picture. We got our asses worked at practice today, and he's going to work himself into a coma again at this rate."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Talk to Simon. Talk to that girl. Do something to get that girl to talk to Jace. He's going mad, and he doesn't even get why. Hell, I don't even get why. It's not like she's anything special, but Jace is going to kill himself by morning at this rate."

"What Jace does isn't my problem. We both know that he's going to stop when he wants to or when he passes out. Unless you're willing to fight him on the subject and lose, I say just let him do his thing."

There was the sound of someone hitting the wall with a fist. "You're not helping."

"I know a lost cause when I see one."

Alec didn't say anything else, but he sure did make it noticeable that he was angry when he slammed the door as he left, rocking the whole house.

_It's not like she's anything special_, he had said. Well, okay Alec. Clary wasn't sure what she did to piss him off, but there was another person that wasn't a fan of her. She was starting to really get that list going. Simon could make a "People that hate Clary" list pretty soon.

She stepped out of the bathroom finally, and Isabelle looked up from her desk. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again. I–"

Isabelle's hand came up, stopping Clary. "Thank me one more time, and I might actually kick you out, got it?" Clary nodded, eyes wide but accepting the terms and conditions. She walked over to the bed, slowly lowering herself on the sheets that probably cost more money than her bike. "You know that you can stay here, right?"

Clary nodded. "I already thanked you for that."

"That's not what I meant." Isabelle paused for a moment, studying Clary in a way that didn't make her uncomfortable, but didn't exactly make her feel good either. "I meant permanently."

"You mean..."

Isabelle nodded. "You can live here if you want."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure." Isabelle walked over, taking the spot on the bed by Clary. They were quiet for a moment, before she said, "I'm being serious. I don't know what happened, but I'm pretty sure that your not going to want to go home for a while."

Clary couldn't argue with that.

"And this is your best bet," Isabelle continued. "Sebastian won't mind, and Simon will get over it if he doesn't like it. I just know what its like to have a hard time, and its nice to have someone there to help."

Clary really doubted that. Isabelle wasn't the type of girl that had to struggle with anything. She was gorgeous. Her parents were rich. Her brother was the captain of the football team. Her best friend was the hottie of the school. Honestly, what could she possibly struggle with.

But that wasn't why she was so reluctant to accepting the offer. Sure, she wanted to, but a certain someone kept holding her back. "What would you do about Jace?"

Isabelle paused, looking down at her perfect fingernails and flicking them. "Did you hear all that?"

"Yeah." Her mouth answered before her mind thought about the question. "Does Jace do this a lot?"

Isabelle shrugged, her eyes going back on her computer. "Not a lot, but it's not the first time this has happened. The last time he was like this was when…" she trailed off. "It doesn't matter. He always stops himself eventually."

The tone of her voice kept Clary from asking other questions, but it raised more in her head. She was right about something happening to him at least, but it was obvious Isabelle wasn't giving that up. What could've happened to him that made him like this? And what was stopping her from just asking him?

That question raced through her mind for the next few minutes of silence between the two of them. What was stopping her? Well, Jace was arrogant. He was rude. He was all about sex and hurt people. But there was still something about him that pulled her to him, despite all those bad traits that he wore like armor.

"What are you thinking about?" Isabelle asked. "You look like your giving yourself a migraine."

Clary nodded. "I feel like that most of the time."

"Why? I don't–" she paused, and then her hand came up, two fingers pushing Clary's cheek so she turned. "Clary, what happened to your chin?"

Immediately, Clary jerked away. "Nothing. You said I didn't have to talk about it."

"Did your brother do this to you?" Clary didn't answer, but that was an answer in and of itself. "Sebastian told me had a… temper. Clary, my parents are lawyers. I can get them to do something if you want me to. I know you don't want to go back, and we can help you with whatever is going on."

"There's no point. I don't want Jonathan to hate me more than he already does."

"Then please, just stay here," Isabelle suggested. "I'm serious. We have plenty of room, money, and food. You can fit into some of my old clothes and take one of the guest rooms. It's not a bother. And not to mention I can help you with your chin deal. I have quite a bit of experience covering hickies, so a small bruise wouldn't be a problem. Honestly, you'd be an idiot to go anywhere else."

Simon's face popped into Clary's head before she accepted it. She could only imagine what his reaction would be when she told him she'd be pretty much living with Isabelle, Alec, and also Jace most of the time. The three people he hated the most was now the people that would save her from her messed up family. Even if Isabelle thought Simon would get over it, Clary wasn't so sure he'd like the fact she'd be 'living with the enemy' as he put it.

What are the odds?

She couldn't accept it though. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

Isabelle's smile fell and was instantly replaced with a hurt expression. "Because of Simon?"

Clary nodded.

"What if I talk to him tomorrow?" Isabelle asked. Clary raised both her eyebrows, shaking her head slightly. "Come on, who else are you going to stay with? Simon's mom can't support another kid, and Sebastian has his own shit to deal with. It'll be fun."

"Fun isn't exactly the word I would use for this situation."

Even though Clary hated sympathy, she found it somewhat appealing that Isabelle showed it by putting her hand on Clary's knee. "Clary, I promise you that it'll be good for you if you stay. All of us have been through our own shit, and you'll be with good company, despite Jace's attitude. My family knows better than to ask questions when someone tells us not to. I won't ask again if you don't want me to. I promise."

Everything about how Isabelle was talking, how she was standing, how the emotions crossed her face told Clary that she was telling the truth.

She smiled at her new friend, nodding in agreement. "What about the others? When are you going to tell them? Cause sadly, I know that I have to talk to Jace about some things if I'm staying around."

"Now," Isabelle said as she slid off the bed. "I'm telling them right now."

* * *

Jace stared. Then he stared a little bit more at Isabelle. Then he glanced over to Alec. He stared at his best friend a little bit as well, then looked back at Isabelle. "Say what?"

They both were struggling with themselves as they tried not to laugh, and Jace hated them for it. If he wasn't so damn tired, he'd beat the shit out of both of them. But as it was, he'd just got done doing over two hundred pull ups and a couple hundred push ups, and his arms were like swimming noodles. He was exhausted, and it was all because of the very girl that would now be living with Alec and Isabelle. He couldn't decide if moving in or leaving and never coming back would be best.

Her face popped into his head and he laid back down on the mats, not having the energy to even sit up straight. His sweaty skin stuck to the mat under him, the cold causing goose bumps to rise up on his skin. But he didn't care. She was here. She was here, and she wasn't leaving. He could be sleeping in the same house she was if he wanted to.

And he was definitely going to have to take a cold shower tonight.

Isabelle's face came into his vision, hovering over him. The lights shone behind her, making her look like a silhouette. "I said, she's staying with me."

"Can I stay with you too? I'm having problems and could use a sleepover."

Isabelle's foot lifted and pressed against Jace's chest. She leaned down, her elbow placed on her knee as she put more pressure against his upper chest. He could easily throw her off of him, even in his tired state, but this was just getting interesting. It wasn't like he couldn't breathe anyway. "I want you to listen, and listen well Jace. You're not going to talk to her, ask questions, or even look at her in the wrong way as long as she's here, okay? Unless I instruct you to do so, like when this feud between the two of you gets on my nerves, that is the only time that you're allowed to communicate with her to work it out. It might not take too long, but either way, stay clear of her for now. Mom and Dad are going to be gone for another three weeks, and if I have to, I will personally ban you from this house on my own, understand?"

"You'd really kick me out?" Jace asked. "You couldn't hurt my feelings even if you wanted to. You love me too much."

"Do I?" The pressure on his chest suddenly increased, and Jace's breathing became harder to accomplish suddenly. His hands came up, attempting to pull Isabelle's foot off his chest but he was more tired than he thought. A good grip wasn't even possible. "You underestimate me, Jace."

"Here we go," Alec mumbled.

"Alright," Jace gasped, but that only made Isabelle apply more pressure. For someone so light, she was really heavy. "Alright, Izzy! Okay!"

He coughed when the pressure left and his hands fell to his sides. The working out six hours a day thing really wasn't as good of an idea as it sounded. When he couldn't even fend off chicks, he was much too tired.

He put one hand in his hair, mainly out of habit when he was tired or thinking. "I really can't even talk to her?"

"I don't want you to," Isabelle said. "There are a few exceptions, like you will speak only when spoken to. You will treat her like a Queen, even if the thought makes you sick. She's been through enough, and banter from the both of you is unnecessary. I'm not letting you scare her off."

"Who says I'll scare her off?"

It was Alec who answered. "It's either that or you pull her in with no hope of her having a decent recovery. And honestly, Isabelle and I agree that both of those prospects aren't exactly appealing."

Jace slowly sat up against his body's will and leaned back on his hands. His friends were looking down on him, standing between him and the door like a Lightwood barrier between him and his mystery girl. "So, you're saying I'm cut off?"

She bobbed her head once. "To an extent."

"And I can't talk to her at all?"

Alec nodded then. "Only if she wants you to, which I still don't agree with, but whatever."

"Can I at least look?"

"No," they said in unison.

"This is shit," Jace mumbled as he slowly got to his feet. They were being completely unfair, making it out like he was the bad guy. He wasn't some womanizer that used girls for entertainment. At least, he didn't against their will. Hell, if Aline or Helen wanted to sleep with him, he wasn't going to just say no. But this girl was different. He wouldn't intentionally hurt her. He wouldn't intentionally hurt any girl.

And it wasn't like she was a perfect angel either. She was just as… bitchy as he could be, for a lack of a better word. Whatever he dished out at her, she gave it right back with sarcastic remarks or making out with other guys. That was the most aggravating thing he'd ever seen. As soon as she kissed Simon, Jace wanted nothing more than to reconnect his fist with the nerd's face. But it wasn't Simon that kissed her. She kissed him. She. Kissed. Him. Jace didn't know why but that hurt, and it hurt badly.

He walked over towards the bench, avoiding the dumbbells and weights he left on the floor until he grabbed the towel. He rubbed it against his head and his shoulders, getting as much sweat as possible off of him, and trying his best to ignore the world. This was blasphemy, and if they were going to treat him like crap, he'd dish it right back. His hands tightened against the towel, and he slammed it down with anger, and when he turned to talk crap to his friends, he froze.

She was there, standing in the doorway in a t-shirt and one of Isabelle's old workout shorts. The siblings were gone, nowhere in sight suddenly, and she was there instead. It was like his mind wished for her to be there instead, and his dreams suddenly became a reality.

For once, he actually didn't know what to say. He was just standing there, looking at her from the giant distance between them. It would've been easier if she'd look at him, but she didn't. She was walking forward, but her eyes stayed around the room, traveling from the monkey bars, to the weights, to the sparing ring, and then, finally, she stepped up close enough so the he could reach out and touch her. That's when her eyes met his, the green so captivating that he actually couldn't find his voice even if he really tried.

"Hi, Jace," she said softly. Her voice was so small, like she was nervous. Her arms wrapped around her torso, twisting her body slowly like she didn't know what to do with herself.

He stayed still for a bit, still confused as to how this happened, but he quickly caught on. "Hi," his voice came out deeper than normal, and he coughed, blaming it on Isabelle's choking from before. "Where did Isabelle and Alec go?"

"Back to their rooms. I wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" and he immediately regretted saying that. What idiot would question why she wanted to talk to him? Especially when it was only chances like these that Isabelle would let him?

She shrugged, and her eyes drifted for a bit. They glanced down, towards his chest, and he smirked when she blushed. She was checking him out, and it was absolutely adorable for some reason. "I figured that if I'm going to stay here, we might as well settle this now. I get enough arguments at home, and I don't want them here right now too," she said when she glanced back up to him.

"Settle what?"

Her hand came out. "I'm Clary."

Holy shit. She said her name. Her name was Clary. He looked down, and took her hand in his, trying to get his mind to catch up with his body.

Her hand fit perfectly. His large one swallowed hers whole, but somehow, it worked. And he felt the heat coming off of her, sinking through her skin into his palm. He wanted nothing more than to pull her in at that moment, to pull her against him and do exactly what he's wanted to do since he laid his eyes on her. But that was the lust talking, and Isabelle would rip his man parts off in a heartbeat if he took advantage of that.

So he released her fairly quickly, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Hi, Clary."

This was awkward. More than awkward. And Jace was never awkward. He always knew what to say and how to act. But Isabelle made this extremely complicated. He couldn't smile sexy, kiss her cheek, or make sarcastic remarks because his friend would have a bitch fit. And his strength right now was so low that he wouldn't be able to stop her.

"I'll let you get back to your workout," Clary said.

He panicked, not wanting her to leave yet, and reached out. "Wait." His hand closed over her arm, and she stopped, the heat once again coming through his skin like a slight burn. She turned back, a few curls escaping from her bun and falling down the side of her face, but she didn't say anything. "Clary, I – I don't want you to go yet."

"Alright...?" She turned completely again, and Jace dropped his arm, trying his best to not make her uncomfortable.

"I'm glad you came to talk to me," he started.

She didn't smile up at him. Her eyes didn't light up at all. In fact, her next expression was a frown, and he swallowed once, not sure what he did wrong. "I heard what you said today at the bookstore, by the way."

That wasn't good. "Lewis told you?"

"No. I was by the computers when you walked in."

Oh, great. Jace didn't exactly look like a good guy at that encounter. But then a thought hit him: She'd been there? And she didn't say a single word to him!

"Luke wasn't exactly ecstatic when you walked through the door."

This is what Jace would refer to as a pickle. A sour, awful looking situation that was bad on the outside and the inside. "Yeah, Luke kind of knows about the stuff I've done to Simon. I don't really blame him for being cautious around me."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Clary said. Her smile was gone, and she turned serious. "Stay away from him. I don't know what you did to him for sure, but I know the basics. Just stop treating him like crap, okay?"

Jace turned defensive almost instantly. "What makes you think that's one sided?"

"You're saying that he started whatever is going with you two?" Her hands flew to her hips in the classic stance that most guys feared.

It only fueled Jace's fire. His arms crossed over his chest, and he caught Clary's gaze falter slightly, looking down at him for a split second. It wasn't much, but it was enough. "Clary, do I need to put a shirt on for you to keep your attention focused?"

That obviously was the wrong thing to say. She scoffed, glaring at him for a split second before turning and headed towards the door. She walked fast for a short girl, but Jace was faster. He sprinted ahead of her, stopping her just before she made it to the doorway. His legs screamed at him to stop moving, but he ignored it.

"Hold it, I didn't mean that," he said quickly. Clary stopped in front of him, her eyes meeting his and he saw the anger in them. "That's just what I do. I don't make it a habit to ignore the fact that girls find me attractive, okay?"

"If that was an apology, it was pathetic."

If she ever expected him to apologize, she'd have another thing coming. He sighed, his arms going limp at his sides for multiple reasons. "Simon and I have always had issues. I've got a lot of issues with a lot of people. Is that what you want to hear? People say shit about me, and I've said shit about them. The difference is, I could take it and dish it right back. Simon just took it and cowered in his shell like a turtle. It's not all my fault."

"I'm sure," she mumbled and walked around him. This time he didn't stop her. The smell of Isabelle's shampoo came to him as she slid by him, being careful not to touch him in any way, and then she was gone.

"Atta boy, Herondale," Jace mumbled to himself. "You take one step forward to get knocked three steps back. Bravo."

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7 - And so it begins

Many good and bad things happened in the days that followed after Clary's relocation.

She was happier and more carefree, not having to deal with her family and focusing on dodging them at all times. Waking up in the morning and feeling like a prisoner in your own home got tiresome after a while. Now, she could wake up in the morning without having to listen to see if they were still here. She didn't have to sneak in and out like a criminal. They probably didn't even know she was gone. Jonathan wouldn't care even if he did, and her father was always too busy to notice her disappearances anyway.

So she finally got the break she was looking for. Isabelle had been surprisingly helpful. The pushiness was getting on Clary's nerves though: always asking if she could take Clary shopping, always wondering why Clary dressed the way she did, always questioning her activities with Simon, and worst of all, she always asked how Clary got sent to East in the first place and why she wasn't wanting to go home. That woman was a walking questions box, but Clary tried her best to make sure it didn't bother her. And it normally didn't. She was able to stay at the Lightwood's castle-like house without too much confrontation from either of the siblings. Alec would normally stayed quiet and was pretty much invisible anyway, and Max was normally already in bed by the time Clary got back form her time with Simon. Luckily though, the few encounters she had with him wasn't bad, but they were actually fun. He was a cute kid, always wanted to talk about comic books, his school life, and, unfortunately - much to Clary's hidden annoyance - his obnoxious, blonde hero.

Jace. He was a totally different story. One thing was in common between Simon and Jace: They both hated the fact that Clary was now staying there. Well, Simon hated it more than Jace, actually. He said, and quote, "It's just pointless. Isabelle will turn you into one of her shopping savvy followers who only care about what make-up to wear. I don't like it." Even though he didn't say anything about Jace, she knew that it bothered him. He was worried for her, worried that Jace would 'corrupt' her or something.

But after three days, that had yet to happen, so he stopped complaining about it. It wasn't like she was ignoring him. Besides, she rarely spent time with any of them outside of school anyway. The only moments she really spent with Isabelle was late at night when she would come back after staying with Simon at the bookstore or at his house doing homework. In fact, she really only slept at the Lightwood's, mainly because Jace was always there.

She's still not sure how it happened, but the two of them made some kind of a telepathic point to avoid each other as much as possible. Even at school, he'd just nod to her if they made eye contact like she was some buddy and walk away. No words spoken between them. The occasion "hey" came across every once in a while in the hallway, but other than that, it was completely awkward and silent between them. Isabelle had made it clear to both of them that if they were going to talk, that she didn't want an argument. She still had the ability to throw both of them out of the castle, so Clary made sure that she just didn't bother with Jace at all for a fear of having to go back home.

And that plan worked like a charm, until that Friday morning.

Isabelle was in the shower, so Clary was on her own for breakfast, which she didn't mind. Isabelle and food didn't mix anyway. She was already dressed in her normal clothing - tight pants, a tank top, and her jean jacket, much to her new friend's distaste, and was sitting on the bar stool eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes when he walked in.

And he looked good. His football jersey hung loosely around his torso with the number 16 in white letters surrounded by black. His hair was perfect under his hat, naturally. He didn't even have to try to look good. Jeans hung low on his hips, followed by a pair of white NIKE high-tops that matched his white snapback. Normally, Clary would've thought that guys like him were punks or tools, but he was able to make anything and everything work. He was still a jerk in her eyes though.

She ignored him, keeping her eyes on the cereal as he grabbed his own food. For a while, she thought she was completely and successfully invisible until he took the seat next to her.

And then he talked.

"Want to pass me the cereal?"

He didn't say a hey, or a hello, or a what's up. In fact, that was the most they've talked since she moved into the guest room, and she did it without a word. Her fingers gripped the box, dropping it next to him with a thump.

"Are you going to ignore me on my big day?"

She shrugged.

He didn't even pour his cereal. He grabbed and set the box down by his bowl, and grabbed her own bowl when she reached for more.

"Hey!"

"Stop eating and answer my question," he said, pulling the bowl further back and out of her reach until it was pulled behind his bowl and the cereal box. "Are you going to ignore me on my big day?"

"I don't exactly know what day you're talking about."

"Yes you do, Tiger. Tonight is a big game," he said. He'd taken to accustom of still using his nickname for her, only saying Clary every once in a while. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about it, since either way still made her feel strange things inside. "Take a walk with me."

"A walk?"

He nodded, standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets. "It's when you use two feet to carry you places without an actual destination in mind. Walking is good for the mind, body, and soul, something you need. None of those three categories are going well for you. And besides, I think there are some things that both of us need to explain, and taking a walk has scientifically proven that people open up better on the move. So, I say again," he bent down lower, just enough so that Clary could notice the difference. "Take a walk with me."

She contemplated the not so horrific idea. Even still, she leaned back, twisted, and placed her elbows against the counter behind her while lookign up at him. "You know, most people would ask."

His face changed, looking at her like she was an annoying five year old. "Fine, will you take a walk with me before school?"

"No."

"No?"

"Nope."

He sighed, pulling his hat off for a split second to run his fingers through it before putting it back on. "You know, I'm trying to be civil, but you're making it extremely difficult."

"The best way for you to be civil would be to act like I don't exist. In fact, I would greatly appreciate it. The past few days have been like heaven without you in them."

"Okay, look here squirt," he said. The anger in his voice made it deeper, more raspy and Clary had to push the thought away about how sexy it was. She always had a weakness for deep voices. "Isabelle thinks we should try to work this out."

Clary huffed, shaking her head. "I have worked it out." She pointed towards him, her finger pressing against his chest from his close proximity. She ignored how hot he felt, and did her best to keep her voice calm. "You're a pretentious, arrogant, boastful bastard that looks down on others and makes them suffer. Simon is a living example. And I," she pointed to herself, "am an artistic loner that wouldn't mind it if you fell off the edge of the earth. So there, we worked it out."

He shook his head. A smirk started to form on his lips. "You think you know everything about me, but you've only heard it from one point of view. And even then, you're other sources are poorly informed on the subject."

Clary leaned forward and stood. He took a small step back, giving her space and looked down at her. "Jace, I'm always going to dislike you. Why does it matter that I don't like you? There are plenty of people that don't like you."

"You're different."

"How and since when does it matter who is different?"

When he bit his lip, Clary knew that she had him stumped. Even if he wanted to say whatever was on his mind, he wouldn't. Jace wasn't the guy to say the truth if it made him feel weak, and she knew there was only one way to get him to talk. She'd have to open up as well. But she wasn't really a big fan of that, so maybe there was a way around it. A way to get him to talk, but she gets to keep her own demons inside. He didn't need to know all that information anyway.

Here goes nothing.

"Alright, Jace, I'll make you deal." His eyes widened just barely, and she held up a finger to keep him quiet. "I'll take a walk with you, only because Isabelle wants it to happen for a reason I can't explain, but you have to do something for me. If I'm willingly putting myself through this, you're not getting off easily"

he looked her over once, contemplating the idea. When his eyes met hers again, they had changed to a brighter gold. "I'll bite. What is it, Tiger?"

She smiled, stepping past him and towards the door. "Follow me."

He did. After a while, Clary finally started to figure out the layout of the giant castle, including the door that lead outside to the garden in the back. Not only that, she also found a path about a hundred yards past the garden, through the trees, that came up to the most beautiful waterfall she'd ever seen in a short, five minute walk. Something about it was quiet but spoke volumes at the same time.

Jace whistled when he came up behind her. "Wow. I didn't even know this was here."

It was a gorgeous, twenty foot waterfall that dumped into a round hole, about the size of a regular swimming pool. There was a huge rock wall that must be climbed to get to the top of the waterfall, and last time Clary was here, she didn't really feel the need to make such an effort. There was probably a path she could've followed along the sides of the giant wall to the top, but she was too lazy to walk the distance. Once she found this spot, she hadn't wanted to leave.

"How did you find it?" Jace asked. "Alec and Isabelle never told me about this place, and it's not even that far from home."

Clary had a few theories why it was so hidden. "Honestly Jace, Isabelle isn't the girl that goes trudging through the woods in search of waterfalls. And you and Alec are so busy, I doubt you've ever stepped foot outside of a workout center for more than five minutes."

"Hey, I go running all the time."

And his body pretty much agreed with him. He had the abs and legs of a runner, along with other aspects.

"But I've never seen a place like this," he added. Clary kept silent as he stepped forward, past her, and towards the edge of the water that slower brushed up against the dirt, grass, and rocks. He didn't let his shoes get wet, being the diva that he is, but he did bend down, touching the water like it was sacred with his fingertips. "Why did you bring me here?"

"I told you that you had to do something for me first." She saw his confidence falter as he stood, but quickly regained it. His body turned, facing her, and she saw the smirk that he always used to get girls to grovel at his feet. Sadly, Clary kind of felt her knees go unsteady, but she'd never admit it.

"You want me to kiss you under the waterfall?" he asked as he pointed behind him. "That's so romantic," he said in a high pitched voice that mimicked a girl's squeal.

He was just trying to piss her off at this point. "No. Just shut up and listen." He did, shoving his hands in pockets. "I just want one answer with complete honesty and to my standards, and I'll give you as many from me as you want. But I didn't want the others to hear. This is between you and me. Isabelle doesn't need to know. Alec doesn't need to know. Hell, Max sure doesn't need to know. Just one answer from you, and you get all the answers that you want."

Whether those answers would be the truth... well, what he didn't know won't hurt him.

"One answer?" He looked down, thinking about the question for a moment. "I already know what you're going to ask."

"No you don't."

"So this isn't about the nerd?"

She shook her head. "It's only about you."

"Isn't it always?" he said with a smile that curled at the corner of his mouth. He shut it quickly at the look she gave him, taking a deep breath and nodding. "Alright, Tiger," he stepped up until he was right in front of her, "What mind boggling question have you conjured up in that curious little head of yours?"

"What happened to your family?"

And yes, the expression on his face was of that with a person who's mind was blown. His lips parted slightly, a small gasp coming through. His eyes widened, expressing all the pain under them. His body tensed. His shoulders straightened as he looked down at her. Clary could actually read all the emotions in his face for once. Hurt, regret, anger, pain, suffering, it was all there in the gold of his eyes.

But it didn't last. His face was replaced with the back of his head quickly as he walked away a few feet. He didn't get far before he stopped, staring at the waterfall. "I don't have to answer that."

She expected this reaction. "If you want to talk civilly to each other, you'll answer the question."

"I don't care, actually. You forget that I was doing this for Isabelle."

"Then walk away," she said. "I'll tell Isabelle we worked everything out, but that we still don't really care for each other. It's simple as that. We don't have to speak to each other ever again, because were different people. It only makes sense for us to avoid each other."

"Is that what we've been doing? Avoiding each other?"

"That's my side of the story," she said. "I don't know about yours."

"And that's what you want to know?" He turned around again, his body going back and forth. It was like he couldn't look at her, but had to at the same time. Like he wanted to run, but his feet wouldn't move him. It was the strangest thing Clary had ever seen. She'd experienced and seen plenty of internal conflict in people, but whatever happened to Jace's family had him broken. "You want to know my side?"

She didn't answer, but shrugged with one shoulder.

"Why do you even care?" he asked.

"Scientific curiosity."

He scoffed. "Yeah, coming from an artist," he mumbled. "Look, Isabelle and Alec don't even know what happened that night. You get to know exactly what they know." It was like history repeated itself as he stepped up to her again, but his face was different this time. He was distressed, and very much hating the current conversation, but Clary wasn't letting him out of it until she got some answers. "My parents are dead."

"I figured that much."

He was quiet for a moment, studying her before saying, "Way to sound sentimental."

She crossed her arms over her chest, stepping up beside him. He turned so they were both facing the waterfall. "You haven't exactly earned anyone's sympathy or sentiment. You're quite revolting most of the time."

For a while, they both just kept quiet and watched the waterfall side by side. If Jace wouldn't have been there, she would've actually felt peaceful maybe. Last time she was here, she felt like it was the closest thing to home she had. Her mother used to take her to such places when she was little. It was one of the few things that she remembered as a child. Her mother and water always seemed to go hand in hand. It was like they flowed together.

She jumped when suddenly, out of nowhere with no warning, Jace collapsed. Clary jumped back, shocked as he hit the floor, but it was planned. He fell back, his jersey and jeans lying against the grass as he stared at the trees above them.

"You okay?" she asked, even though she didn't really care one way or another.

That was all she asked, but she got a whole lecture for an answer. "Okay is a strange word. People use it as more of an excuse, and I don't feel like it really has any meaning." He sounded like he wasn't really talking to her, but a brick wall or something. "When loved ones die, when people have their hearts broken, or when they get physically injured, it's always the first question. 'Are you okay?' Its crap. No one really cares. It's the social protocol. You know how many people asked that question and genuinely care?" He held up his hand, making an 'O' with his finger and thumb. "Zero."

"Isabelle and Alec didn't genuinely care?"

"They didn't ask," he said. His hands moved to the back of his head, cupping behind it. Clary, not really sure what to do, sat down next to him, eyes on the waterfall, and pulled her legs up to her chest. "They knew better ways to help me cope than to ask questions. Alec helped me train, while Isabelle spent her time getting me girls to occupy me. When I was alone, I'd think too much and end up hurting myself. I'd punch a hole in a wall, break a few mirrors, that kind of thing. They did everything they could to keep me under control."

"So, they turned you into a manwhore that works out a lot?"

She expected to get some kind of sarcastic remark about all the girls he slept with, but she didn't get it. "I'm not a manwhore," he said in a voice that resembled that of a child.

Clary looked down at him, and found his eyes on her as well. The rays of the sun made the gold look brighter than usual, but they had a trace of frustration and... shame? "What would you call it then?"

"Coping," he said without hesitation. "I had lost my parents, and everyone has their ways of coping with the loss of close family. Whether it's sleeping around, working out, messing with nerds, or punching the shit out of opponents in a ring. I'm sure you've been through something similar before. Everyone has."

He didn't know how right she was, and she turned away completely from him before he could see it in her eyes. Her mother's face, the one from the pictures passed through her mind. If she recalled correctly, no one in her family really dealt with her disappearance with much grace. Her father turned to alcohol, which he eventually got out of after some time. Jonathan coped pretty well for a long time, before recently snapping and turning into a monster. And Clary's idea of coping was having one friend and painting.

But at least she didn't break hearts and sleep around.

"Who did you lose?"

She didn't answer. She didn't want to. The sound of crunching grass broke through the sound of rushing water as Jace sat up, coming into Clary's peripheral vision.

"You made the deal," he said. "I answered you're question, and you answer all of mine."

She shook her head when she was sure the tears weren't coming. "I said you have to answer it to my standards. Two words aren't exactly my standards of a fully answered question."

"Well, that's all you're getting." Clary moved to get up, but Jace was there too quickly. He hovered over her as he crouched in front of her, but not directly, as she sat back, like a dangerous angel. "What are you trying to do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said with complete and total honesty, looking down to avoid his gaze.

"Don't play that shit," he growled. "You think you're special? That I'll open up to you just because I said your different? You're wrong, like most women are. Don't even think for a second that you stand out compared to all the other girls."

"I didn't," she shot back. "I never wanted to be different in your eyes. That only leads to getting hurt by someone like you. But Isabelle isn't exactly good at keeping secrets. She keeps mentioning something, and then cuts herself off and changes the subject. I know a lost cause when I see one, so I went to the source."

He stood, shaking his head at her as she rose to her feet. He stood as well, his eyes never leaving hers. She could feel his gaze burning into her skin like a laser. "Well, you'll be sorely disappointed as far as I'm concerned."

Clary's phone buzzed in her pocket, and although this conversation was the longest and angriest she had with Jace, she pulled it out and answered with a calm and collected voice. "Hello?"

"Clary, hey!"

Sebastian. Jace rose an eyebrow, but Clary shoved him away with one hand and started walking towards the house again. She didn't care if Jace followed her, stayed there, or drowned in the giant pond. "Hey, what's up? Ready for the game tonight?"

"Of course! Can you come?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, picking up her pace to get back to the house. "Isabelle and I will definitely be there. I'm not going to this stupid thing for anything else though, so you and Izzy need to keep the PDA to a minimum in front of me. I told Simon that I was going for you, and if he finds out I didn't even get to spend it with you because of a black haired, gorgeous, hormonal teenage girl that he has a hug crush on got in the way, he and I will be very upset."

"No promises. I don't really restrain myself very well."

She ducked under a tree branch, jumped over a tree root, and tried her best to keep from falling as she walked. It sucked to have no coordination whatsoever. "It's still better than some people I know." Jace and Jonathan for starters.

"I know exactly what you mean," he said with a chuckle. "But hey, don't forget that I said Simon could come if he wanted to. I know you two had tonight planned when I called Isabelle, so I don't want you cancelling your plans for me."

"It's not a problem. He said that he had some business to take care with Jordan, whatever that meant. He–"

Clary lost her footing when a cat suddenly darted out in front of her, chasing what appeared to be a lightning fast squirrel. Her toe got caught on blasted tree root sticking up when she jumped, and she stumbled, reaching out to catch herself, dropping her phone in the process before her face hit the floor. But the impact never came when suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her back.

She felt him pressed up against her, arms around her hips and hands pressed against her clothed stomach, holding her to him. She wasn't paying attention to the phone on the ground, the wind picking up, or the cat screeching as it chased until it disappeared. All she was aware of was Jace, and how freakishly close he was to her right now. How hard his body was against her back. How big his hands were. How hot his breath was against her cheek.

"You might want to be more careful," he whispered in her ear. His voice was throaty and deeper. "Chairman Meow is kind of… a killer."

She nodded, heart still pounding in her chest. Whether it was because of the adrenaline of almost face planting or Jace, she wasn't sure. Not to mention she couldn't figure out if she actually liked how he was holding her or not. It was so aggravating.

"I'll leave you to your phone call." And then she was alone again. His body moved quickly, disassembling himself from her and heading towards the house at a jog. That kind of hurt that he wanted to get away from her that quickly. She did kind of deserve that reaction though.

She grabbed her phone slowly, making sure she didn't hit the floor again, and pulled it to her ear. "Seb?"

"What was that awful sound?"

Clary looked back towards the bushes where the cat ran through, kicking a rock in that general direction. "Some damn cat chasing a squirrel."

"Damn. Are you okay?"

She looked forward, towards Jace's disappearing form. There it was. That question that he hated so much. What was his deal with people being concerned about him? But now, as even her best friend in the entire world ask her if she was okay, she couldn't help but see his point. There really wasn't a point to the question, and even if there was, it was always followed by the same answer. It didn't matter if the person lied or told the truth, because it was the same either way.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

* * *

He was angry. He was pissed. Hell, he was completely livid at this point. She stepped over a line that was never meant to be crossed, and dammit to hell if he'd let this one go. Jace had let Isabelle get away with a lot in the past, mainly out of their friendship, but this pushed him over the edge. It was about time he spoke his mind now, and she was so dead.

The house was quiet enough as he charged through it, up the stairs, and he kicked, literally kicked, Isabelle's door open, breaking the hinges and sending the wooden rectangle flying into the room. It landed with a loud crashing sound, smaller wood chips breaking off and flying across the room. He didn't even bother with it, stepping inside and scanning the room. "ISABELLE!"

"WHAT THE HELL, JACE! That's my door, you jackass!"

Isabelle, the traitor, stood in the doorway to her bathroom in her towel. Her black hair was wrapped up in its own towel as well, and her body was still dripping wet. She looked angry, confused, and shocked as she looked from the door to Jace, to the door with an open mouth.

He stormed right up to her, and shoved her against the wall with such a force that she actually yelped. He would've felt sorry if he wasn't so pissed off. Right now, all he wanted was to beat the shit out of her. If she was Alec, he would've. Damn her for being a girl! "You told Clary."

She shook her head in confusion. "Told her what?"

"About my parents," he said. "You spilled it."

Isabelle's eyes went from angry to apologetic within seconds. Her hands came up, only to drop again like she didn't know what to do with them. "Jace, I didn't–"

"But you did."

"It was an accident," she insisted. Jace stepped back, letting her step away from the wall. Her blue eyes were full of worry and regret, something he didn't see very often. "I stopped myself, I swear, but Clary caught on that I was keeping something secret. You know I'd never do that to you on purpose, Jace. I love you too much to hurt you like that."

"Then why did you?" he let out along with a deep, exasperated breath. Suddenly, a feeling of tiredness washed over him, and he wanted nothing more than to just go back to sleep.

Isabelle wrapped her arms around her torso. Jace noticed the water dripping out from around her towel, down her face and legs, but it didn't bother him. But the fact that she looked natural was different to him. She was huge on make-up and wouldn't get caught dead without it, so now, just fresh out of the shower and natural isn't something he was used to.

Isabelle's blue eyes met his, soft and apologetic. "Did you tell her?"

He nodded slowly. "About as much as you and Alec know. I didn't exactly have a choice."

"That's what happened to me," she said. Jace raised an eyebrow, still kind of confused, before Isabelle explained. "She's easy to open up to, even when she doesn't ask questions. I've realized that the past few days, even if she hasn't got a clue about the effect she has on people. Think about it, you spent how long with her this morning?"

Jace shrugged. "Ten, fifteen minutes."

"That's what I'm saying. It took Alec and me two weeks to get you to talk about it."

She had a point, but it wasn't entirely true. "But it doesn't get to me now like it did back then. It's easier to talk about now that I've recovered."

Isabelle didn't look convinced. "Either way, I just got caught up when I was talking with her. I never said that it was anything about your family, but she must have figured it out. She's easy to open up to, and even you can't deny that after what you just told me."

Even though he wanted to be angry, he knew that he couldn't be upset with Isabelle, but with Clary. The redhead was the one that was being pushy, that was asking questions, and was seriously starting to get on his nerves. She could mess with him all she wanted, ask him anything and if he gave it up, he couldn't blame anyone but himself.

But he hated how she was manipulating Isabelle, even if she didn't realize she was doing it. Clary could get her to do anything it seemed like, and that wasn't okay. He wouldn't put up with it. Not now. Not ever. If this continued, who knows what Tiger would find out, and some secrets are best left alone, locked away where no one would find them.

"I have to go."

He headed out of the room quickly, dodging the broken door on the floor in search of Clary.

How did this ever happen? She looked so sweet and innocent when he first laid eyes no her. Even Isabelle thinks she's just a nice, little girl. But she was exactly like Nala from the Lion King. Cute, small, sassy, a bit curious. Actually, a little too curious. And she was pretty fearless as far as Jace could see. The way she can stand up to him and Isabelle isn't something most people succeeded at. It was normally just one or another, never both.

That was the bad part. He and Isabelle were a team. They kept each other grounded and out of the worst trouble. That's how it's always been, and Clary was screwing that up. She was like the wedge that was pulling them apart. Jace never yelled at Isabelle. He never had a reason to, but since the redhead got here, things had changed. And those changes weren't for the better.

He found her walking up the stairs, looking like she didn't have a care in the world. Her head was down, her phone in her hands as she texted away, and it was only when she was two steps below him did she realize her was there at the top of the stairs.

"Well, twice in one morning," she said with amusement. Her hand fell, her fingers digging into her pockets as she looked up at him. "I must be one lucky girl."

"Cut the crap. What game are you playing at?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." She leaned against the railing of the stairs, looking rather casual. "Please, enlighten me."

Jace stepped down on step, leaning down to stare into her eyes. They were the greenest eyes he'd ever seen, with the mixture of different shades dancing across the iris. He could see her freckles across her nose, the set of her jaw, and the flare of her nose because of his close proximity. But like him, she wasn't backing down.

Her stance told him that much. She was stubborn, much too stubborn, and he felt like yelling wouldn't get him through this situation, but he tried anyway. "Just spit it out, Tiger. You're messing with Isabelle and with me, and I want to know why."

"I'm not messing with anyone," she countered. "Isabelle took me in to escape my family. Why would I compromise that? She's actually being a friend to me."

She tried to brush past him, but this time, Jace stopped her. He stepped to his left, locked his right hand on the railing, and his left behind Clary on the railing as well. She was trapped between his arms, glaring up at him.

"Move, Jace."

"Not until I get some answers."

She leaned back, her expression making him uneasy. He hated this. He hated how she played games, how her facial expressions made him feel small and confused. It was like she always thought ahead of him, and God, how he hated it.

This time was no different. She leaned back casually, leaning against the rail and looking at him as her hair fell into her face. She pushed the red curls back playfully. "If I recall, I told you that you'll get all the answers you want once you answer mine."

"I did answer it."

She shook her head. "Two words aren't a decent answer. That's avoiding the question."

"You're question isn't relevant to life on planet earth as we know it," he said. To his own surprise, his voice was pretty steady. The smell of her shampoo hadn't messed with his brain as much as he thought. Normally he had a weakness for girls who smelled like strawberries, and although he still felt an overwhelming force begging him to throw this ungrateful, mischievous redhead against a wall, he fought it with all he had.

Her eyes were full of challenge. "It'll explain why you're always here and never home. What's so awful about that place that you refuse to be there?"

"I could say the same for you." She rose her eyebrows, but didn't look too interested in talking about that conversation. Jace sighed, dropping his head slightly before lifting it again. "There's nothing awful about it."

"Then why are you here? Because I'm pretty sure that you and I," she gestured between them, "don't exactly get along. Being home has to be more pleasant than dodging me."

"You're right. At this point, anything is more pleasant than you," he said.

Something flashed in her eyes, and he realized exactly what he said. He shouldn't have said that! He'd never said anything like that to a girl. Sure, he'd had bad thoughts about Aline, his other girlfriends, and even Isabelle, but he'd never actually said it. A saying his mother always used flashed across his mind as Clary looked away from him.

_ Say something sweet to a girl, and she'll need to hear it a thousand times to believe it. Say something rude to a girl, and it'll stick with her for a thousand years._

He really was an asshole, even for his standards. The pain flashed across her face, even if she was trying to hide it, and he couldn't handle it. This girl drove him mad, but watching her in pain because of him was almost as bad as losing his parents. It was painful to him, and he was the idiot that dealt the very pain.

"Clary, I didn't mean that." She didn't respond, and he made a move without thinking. His hand came up, clutching her chin softly to pull it back towards him, but her reaction made him stop.

A noise of escaped her lips, one that sounded like a squeal, a whimper, and a gasp, and she smacked his hand away. His eyes widened slightly in shock of himself, not sure what he was expecting. Did he really think she'd let him touch her like that? Was he completely losing his mind? Most girls would've fallen at his feet, but he knew that Clary wouldn't have. He shouldn't have expected anything else.

That was all blocked as soon as he looked down at his hands. There was a smear of make-up on his fingertips. It was foundation and looked like it was a fresh coat. His brows pulled together in confusion. He hadn't known her for a long time, but she wasn't the type to use make-up.

And when he looked back down at her, he knew why. On her chin, barely visible because of the make-up, was a purple looking bruise. It was faded, but he could tell that it was there. "Clary, what the hell happened to your face?"

She immediately reacted. "It's nothing." She turned away from him, heading up the last step when he raced after her. "Jace, just stop. It's nothing."

"That bruise doesn't look like nothing," he said as he followed her. He was hot on her heels, and was getting an answer from her for once, whether she wanted to hand it over or not.

She picked up the pace. "Well, it doesn't matter what it looks like to you."

"Clary, they're in the shape of someone's fingers. Did someone harass you? Hurt you?" He paused when they reached her doorway, his hand coming up and gripping the knob so she couldn't open it. "Did Simon do this to you?"

"No." She breathed it out, leaning against the door.

"What about that Sebastian punk that Isabelle keeps talking to." Jace's free hand balled into a fist at the thought of Sebastian Verlac. That was not one of his favorite people on the planet to begin with, but if he touched Clary... "She told me that you were friends with him, so–"

"Stop acting like you care," she interrupted, her green eyes meeting his. "We all know you don't."

"So it was Sebastian?"

"Why do you think that?"

He dropped his hand, crossing both of his over his chest. She didn't exactly give it away, but her defensive posture made it seem plausible enough. "You interrupted me. That means you just didn't want me to say the truth out loud."

She looked back at him momentarily, huffed in annoyance, and stormed into her room. The door slammed behind her, leaving him alone in the hallway when Isabelle emerged from her broken bedroom door. Her hair was tamed and straightened, but she had yet to get dressed, and jogged down the hall towards him in her towel.

"What's going on?" she asked. She looked between Jace and Clary's door. "What did you do?"

"I started prying, and no way in hell am I done yet." He stormed in after Clary, Isabelle hot on his heels. Clary wasn't visible, and he heard her rummaging through something in the bathroom, so he walked in, slamming the door against the wall. "We're not done with this."

Clary sighed, dropping her toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter. Her eyes met his through the mirror, and then she shifted them towards Isabelle. "Yes, we are."

Jace's anger was getting to the point that he wanted to snap. "Just tell me who did it so I can beat the shit out of that asshole."

"What are you–" Isabelle looked from Clary to Jace, and then her eyes settled on Clary's now visibly bruised chin. "Jace, this is none of your business."

His eyes widened. "Of course it is!" He turned on his best friend, and she stepped back slightly. He knew that look on her face, the knowing look that he hated more than anything, especially right now. It was the look that Isabelle used for secrets. Suddenly, all his anger turned to the feeling of betrayal. "You knew? Isabelle, that bruise has been there for a while, even days, and you didn't tell me?"

"Calm down," Isabelle insisted. Her hand descended on his arm, pulling him towards the door. He didn't want to go. He wanted to know who the hell could've hurt Clary. He wanted to beat the shit out of that person, but Isabelle's grip was surprisingly strong. "Jace, come on, let's GO."

He looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Clary's again. There was something in the green colors, something that he hadn't recognized, but he didn't have time to look before Isabelle yanked him through the door, into Clary's bedroom, and finally, into the hallway.

Clary's door shut behind Isabelle with a click, and she immediately shoved him with both hands, sending him stumbling backwards and into the opposite wall. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"ME?" He pointed at himself. "Seriously? I'm not the one that laid my hands on her," he pointed to the closed door that hid Clary from view, "and hurt her. I'm the one trying to get back at whatever bastard did."

Isabelle sighed. "Just let it alone."

"Why?"

"I'm handling it," Isabelle insisted. Jace didn't like the sound of that, and she put her hand on his cheek. She always had a way of calming him, even in his worst times, but right now, even she couldn't stop the boiling in his blood. "She's staying here for a reason, okay? You trust me, don't you?"

Great, the trust card. He took a deep breath to calm his racing blood that pumped with the need to hit something, nodded his head and closed his eyes. "Yes, with my life. You know that." The doorbell rang loudly throughout the house, and he wanted to rip his hair out. He groaned, a sound of annoyance and frustration escaping his throat. "That'll be Aline."

Isabelle's hand fell from his cheek, and she smiled with sympathy. "Don't worry about Clary. You know I'll keep her safe. Just go deal with the bitch at the door."

He did as he was told, not even bothering to defend Aline's nonexistent honor, and headed down the hall to the stairs as Isabelle went back to her room. Aline wasn't the person he wanted to talk be right now. He'd rather have a short redhead with green eyes and freckled skin in his arms than a dark haired slut on his arm, but he had no choice.

So he grabbed his bag, and headed towards the door, preparing himself for the scolding look and the many questions about why he hasn't called her back at all this week.

* * *

**Jace found out! Tell me what you think! REVIEW! Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Two bads don't make a good

**Hey! Thanks so much for all the reviews and advice from everyone. It's always easier to write when you have ideas and help coming your way so I encourage everyone to keep it up, and enjoy this next chapter of "Expelled" :)**

Clary dropped her hands to her counter top, leaning all her weight against it when she heard the door shut behind Jace and Isabelle. Her head fell, looking down at the tooth brush and tooth paste she'd thrown in the sink.

"What the fuck?" she asked to no one in particular.

She closed her eyes, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Within twenty minutes, Jace went from the cocky player, to a broken boy about his parents, to saving her from eating dirt, to being really pissed off on the staircase, and then suddenly becoming upset about her not telling him, like he was… protective? It was like he expected her to open up, to tell him what happened.

As if! Did he think they were close or something? Like he was someone she actually wanted to go to with her problems? He was the last person she wanted to talk to! All he ever did was beat around the subject, answer questions with questions, and avoid his own issues. He couldn't even listen to Isabelle and Alec, or anyone for that matter. How was that supposed to be helpful to her exactly? There wasn't a thing he could offer her that she'd be willing to take.

But the staircase… that was different from the other interactions they had. His eyes were full of anger since the moment he approached her, but he flipped the switch faster than her emotions could keep up with. He went from angry with her to angry with the world in a heartbeat. It was normal at first, him blaming her for something or arguing with her, but his face when he saw her make-up, the bruise, the way his eyes only got angrier was an unnerving kind of different. The thing was, not even for a minute was she actually scared. It was almost reassuring, in a twisted kind of way. She almost felt like he'd genuinely protect her, like she wouldn't get hurt if he was there.

Almost.

She squeezed the counter harder, along with her eyes until it was almost painful. There was some part of her that wanted to act like that never happened. That maybe she just dreamed up the whole idea that he found out, that he knows, and that he apparently wants to beat the shit of her brother now, not that he actually knows that much at least. That's a fact that he can't know, ever. Never. Jace looked like a crazy person that was ready to kill, and she'd never get a break from Jonathan, never get her brother back if Jace attacked him because of her. It would only make her lose Jonathan forever, and then she'd really be alone with no family.

Besides, she could practically imagine the battle that would take place. Isabelle trying to stop Jace. Sebastian trying to stop Jonathan. Clary standing there with a look of shock on her face while the fought it out because she couldn't keep her mouth shut in the first place.

Yeah. That was the last thing she needed.

Things were complicated enough between her family. Sebastian kept her updated on them, and things weren't getting any better. Jonathan and her father were barely talking, and if they did, they argued. Not to mention Jonathan stormed out of practice last night, leaving with Kaelie after yelling some not so sonly things at him. Everyone knew he would still play, but honestly, she couldn't go home with that situation. She couldn't put herself with them again, with the fighting and yelling and constant threats. That was just too much to deal with every day. Even here, with the Lightwoods, it wasn't exactly easy.

Isabelle was fine, great even, but Alec and especially Jace...

A knock at the door brought her out of her own thoughts. She looked up in the mirror, staring at herself as the door opened and closed.

Isabelle appeared in her open bathroom doorway moments later, and Clary could feel her gaze burning but instead of meeting the blue eyes that were more than likely full of questions, she looked back down, dropping her head once again to stare at the sink.

"I don't really know what to say," Isabelle said.

Clary didn't really know either. What was she supposed to say? She had plenty of questions to ask, but nothing that she really wanted the answers too. Honestly, some things were better left hidden in the dark, even if her curiosity got the better of her at times. Who was she kidding? It got better of her all the time, no exceptions.

Isabelle walked closer quietly, her footsteps almost unheard, and then a hand descended on Clary's, gripping it lightly. The touch was reassuring and actually welcomed for once. "Clary, Jace just wanted to–"

That was about all Clary could take. "I don't want to talk about it."

And she really didn't. Talking wasn't her strong point, unless it was with a tall, dark, and handsome best friend with a British accent that she missed more than anything. Sometimes, she'd just wish that Sebastian could come, stay here with her, help her through all this crap. If he was here, that Jace thing probably wouldn't have happened. Hell, if Sebastian would just stick to her like glue, the Jonathan thing wouldn't have happened either.

God, her mind flashed back to when she was talking to Jace on the staircase for a moment. A phrase, a simple phrase she said popped into her head. It was like she was suddenly the spitting image of her brother when she said it to Jace, saw his face when the words were out, his reaction. And it was painful to watch.

_ Stop acting like you care. We all know you don't._

Her brother had a bigger effect on her than she'd like, than she thought, and she squeezed the counter tighter if that was even possible, hoping to God that everything about her being a Morgenstern would just disappear. Every part of her that hurt, that made her hate herself, had to do with her family ties. If she could just get away, things would be different. Why can't she just move away, get away from it all and start over? Why couldn't Sebastian be her brother? Why Jonathan? She just wanted to be Clary Fairchild, no Morgenstern attached.

But that was too much to ask for.

"Can I talk about it?" Isabelle asked, removing her hand from Clary's but not stepping back. "You don't have to say anything, but I think there are some things you should know."

Clary shrugged in answer, not moving another muscle. She was gripping the counter for dear life, but she did open her eyes, slowly coming back to the real world. She had to face it sometime, but as of now, she just wanted to crawl in bed and never leave.

One question still stayed in her head: What would Jace do? She couldn't stop that thought as Isabelle suddenly started talking. Would he keep asking her about it? Would he drop it and stop asking her about who hurt her? That would make everything much easier, for sure. He wasn't that type of person though. He didn't just forget things. He'd be persistent, like he was with everything else. She was starting to believe that was his worst trait.

"–It's just hard on both of you, what you two have been through," she said. Clary missed the first part, but finally focused in on Isabelle's words. "You've got a terrible family, and he doesn't even have one. Neither are good situations, and mixing two bads together don't exactly make a good situation out of it."

She slowly lifted her head, opening her eyes to look at Isabelle through the mirror.

There was nothing special about her yet. Her hair was done but she just threw a t-shirt on now instead of the towel, no shorts or shoes. She looked less intimidating this way, which Clary was very happy about. All of the dresses, make-up, and lingerie were starting to get to be a little overwhelming for her taste. At least this way she could look at Isabelle without feeling like covering her face because nothing compared.

That had to be the worst part.

Luckily, it wasn't like Isabelle flaunted it. She was pretty, gorgeous actually, and knew it but didn't show it off too much. She dressed the part every day, but it wasn't like she made boys bow down to her, not like Kaelie. Thank goodness. Clary couldn't deal with another Kaelie who thought she should rule the world. She'd rather jump off a fifty foot bridge than deal with that shit.

"Define a good situation," Clary finally said, looking away from the inquiring blue eyes and back to the sink. "Honestly, Jace and I don't make a good situation to begin with. Nothing is good about the two of us. So what are you trying to say?"

Isabelle sighed deeply, leaning up against the counter with her hands like Clary's, mimicking the position. "I don't really know," she admitted. "This isn't the Jace I've grown to know, the one I grew up with." There was a pause, longer than normal. Clary wasn't sure what to say, so she just kept quiet in her own world until Isabelle finally spoke. "He's changed so much."

_Everyone has_, Clary wanted to say. A year ago, Jonathan was the brother she always loved, the one she wanted. She used to be the girl that her father was actually proud of. She used to actually have friends that she wanted, not that she needed. She actually lived in her own house, and her father had recovered fully from the divorce. It used to be okay.

But nothing last forever.

"It almost killed him," Isabelle continued in a voice quieter than a whisper.

Clary had an idea the "it" referred to Jace's parents, and she wasn't sure if she should pry or not. Jace obviously wasn't a fan of people knowing his personal life. But damn, she really wanted to ask.

Isabelle bent down lower, dropping her head to her hands and pressing her elbows against the sink. "It was like we almost lost him. Alec and I were terrified that we were actually going to, that we'd wake up and find out he…" she took a deep breath, and Clary looked over in time to see her wipe her cheek quickly, hiding a tear that escaped through. It was scary watching someone like her act like this. "But you've changed something."

"I've made him angrier," she observed, hoping that was what Isabelle was referring to.

But the girl shook her head. "That's not what I meant. How he just acted," she sighed for a moment, "it was like he actually cared again."

"Maybe he just had too much coffee this morning."

As if she was irritated, Isabelle grabbed Clary's shoulder and forced the girl's eyes to meet. "You know what I mean."

"No, I don't," Clary countered clearly, and she shoved past Isabelle storming into her room.

Isabelle followed without question, watching from the doorway when Clary sat on her bed. Actually, she more of collapsed on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She really was freaking exhausted, and it wasn't even nine in the morning. How was she supposed to make it through tonight too?

A better question: how was she supposed to make it through today with Jace?

Isabelle leaned against the doorway to the bedroom, looking as exhausted as Clary felt. "Clary, what is really going on with you two?"

She sighed, hoping that a decent answer would actually come, but it never did. There was nothing. She was blank. Not a single answer came up with whatever was going on between her and Jace. First of all:

They weren't dating. That much was clear. They couldn't even stand the sight of each other, although that might just be his side, but either way, they can't be in the same room without some massive argument or confrontation. Not a single way they acted towards each other showed a kind of attraction, or even a tolerance. It was always better if they just separated and stayed apart. It had worked for the past few days, until he decided that a walk was in order.

That made it impossible to be friends. They were too different. Nothing ever ended well, and she had a feeling that even if they tried it, they'd just want to kill each other. Maybe someday one of them would succeed and put the other out of his/her misery.

So what were they?

There was no way to answer Isabelle's question without others coming up, so Clary figured that the best way to handle this situation is with a question of her own.

"Actually, I want to talk to you about something. Jace said something to me, something that's got me thinking, and I want you to be totally honest." She looked up, meeting blue eyes as Isabelle walked in the room. "Can you do that?"

"Yes," she answered with no hesitation and took the spot next to her on the bed when Clary sat up. "What is it?"

"He says I'm messing with you." She glanced over, hoping to God this wasn't a bad idea. "Do you think that?"

Isabelle didn't answer immediately, and Clary started to feel a bit nervous. Did she really think that? Did she really think that Clary was only using her?

It was written all over the other girl's face. She wasn't looking at Clary, but at the floor. Her hands were playing with her nails. Her eyes were barely open, and her brows were pulled together. The lips that were covered with red lipstick were being pressed together and slowly, so slowly, she looked at Clary and answered.

"You know, it's not that you're messing with me," she said, and Clary felt the breath she was holding leave in a whoosh. "And whatever you're doing, I don't think it's intentional."

"What am I doing?" It was a genuine question. She really didn't have a clue.

Isabelle looked like she wanted to answer but didn't know what to say. "Nothing," she said. "You're just easy to open up to."

"Is that a crime? Jace made it sound like it well hell to pay."

"Jace exaggerates everything," Isabelle said with a bit of a chuckle. "Honestly, if he doesn't get what he wants, he starts to place the blame around. And since you're what he wants, he–"

Clary held up her hand, cutting Isabelle off immediately. "Let's get one thing straight." Isabelle closed her mouth, looking a bit shocked at Clary but didn't speak. "Jace and I will never be compatible. Like you said, we'd have to be too careful, and we'd probably end up hurting each other anyway. I'm not putting myself through that. The only thing he wants is to get in my pants, so no. It's bad enough just thinking that's all he wants from me, like my brother and his girl. I can't put myself through that without hurting myself. Plus, I promised Simon I'd stay away from him."  
The part about Simon wasn't exactly supposed to be public knowledge, but there was no point in taking that back. That promise was now out for everyone to know, whether Clary wanted that or not.

Isabelle didn't seem too happy about it. She actually looked upset and leaned back slightly. "You said that you'd stay away from Jace?"

"Pretty much."

"Because Simon asked you to?"

"Yup."

"Don't you think that's a little messed up?"

Clary wasn't really sure what to say. It wasn't, was it? Simon was just worried about her with Jace. Hell, she was worried about herself when she was with Jace. He was too… difficult, and she couldn't put her finger on him. He changed too quickly for her understand, was too unpredictable, and surprises aren't her thing.

But was it really so bad that Simon was being protective?

She wasn't sure. Nowadays, she wasn't sure about much of anything, so this was no surprise.

"I don't know," she finally said, looking down at her boots that dangled off the edge of the bed. "He's just trying to keep me safe, to keep me away from what would hurt me."

"And you just assume Jace would hurt you?" Isabelle was no longer upset or confused, but had a hint of anger in her voice.

It made Clary look up when she caught onto the change. "Are you saying that Jace wouldn't hurt me?" She frowned at her taller friend when she didn't answer. "You're being a bit wishy-washy about this."

"I know." Isabelle let out a long breath, closing her eyes and falling back against the sheets. "It's complicated."

Ha! Clary wanted to laugh at that. Complicated for Isabelle was simple for Clary. In fact, Clary could be completely content if she had to deal with the issues in Isabelle's life. She'd trade in a heartbeat to be loved by everybody, not have a traumatic family, and to actually have a brother that loved and cared for her. Not to mention she was fucking gorgeous. The beauty queen could just smile and get whatever she wanted. Unlike Clary who always seemed to get the bad end of every situation.

Someone knocked at the door, leaving Isabelle's comment in the air with no explanation. "Come in," Clary called.

Alec's head poked in, followed by a much shorter replica. Max smiled as he swung the door open, and immediately ran into the room.

"Clare bear!" he yelled as he pounced on the bed, wrapping his arms around her neck. She fell back, giggling and laughing at his constant playfulness.

Isabelle had been right. Once Max found out Clary was staying here, he was all about it. It was fun too, having a little guy running around and smiling, brightening up the day whenever he talked. Clary always wanted a little brother, one that wouldn't snap at her and hurt her, and Max fit the bill.

"I'm taking Max to school," Alec explained, leaning against the doorway in his usual dark clothes. Unlike Jace, he didn't have the team jersey on. "You can take the Camaro and I'll take the truck."

Isabelle nodded, patting Max's head before standing. The look on her face told Clary that their forgotten conversation wasn't exactly over. "Sure, Clary and I can ride together."

She frowned as Max pulled away, sitting next to her with his legs draped over hers. "Actually, I was going to take the bike. I wanted hang out with Simon after school before the game."

"I want to see Simon!" Max yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "Please!"

"No," Alec said immediately. Clary thought it was a bit harsh, but Max just deflated and stuck his tongue out at his older brother.

"Well, be back here before five thirty," Isabelle told Clary. She grabbed Max's hand, pulling him towards the door that Alec left through moments before. "I have a lot of work to do before you're presentable for the game."

"But–"

"No buts!" Isabelle's other hand came up, pointing at her like a mother scolding her child. "I mean it. And not a second later." She hurried Max out the door, but before she left she turned back, giving Clary a serious look. "And as for Jace, maybe you should be straight up with him. Stop beating around the bush, both of you. Just put your feelings out there, and straighten it out before the rest of us get caught in the crossfire."

* * *

"So, are you going to explain or do I have to beat it out of you?" Aline asked from her spot in the driver's seat.

Both options weren't exactly appealing in Jace's eyes. He didn't want to talk about it. In fact, he wasn't even sure he could talk about it. He couldn't talk about Clary, about why he was avoiding Aline, about any of it. He wouldn't know what to say to begin with. But having Aline going on one of her rampages again wasn't exactly an experience he wanted to repeat.

He sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes. "Can't you just not ask questions for once?"

"No," she said honestly. Of course she couldn't, Jace wanted to mumble, but he kept his mouth shut. "I want to know what the hell is going on with my boyfriend."

There it was again! That stupid title seemed to be the only word in her vocabulary. "I'm not your boyfriend," Jace said exasperated, raising his hands and dropping them back down like he was exhausted. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

He opened his eyes, looking over at Aline. Her hands were gripping the steering wheel until they were white. Her eyes were forward. Her face was red under all that make-up and blush, which he never really cared for in the first place.

She was definitely angry, not that Jace could really blame her. She had plenty of reasons to hate him right now, and plenty more to hate him because of the past.

"Here's the deal," she said. "Telling me that everything can stay the same but taking the label off isn't acceptable."

"Why not?" he whined.

"Because I don't like it!"

This wasn't exactly what he wanted to talk about at this point in his life. Every time he was with Aline this week, she'd bring it up. This wasn't really her fault, and he felt like he should tell her that, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. There wasn't really a good reason for him wanting to slowly call it off, or to call it off at all.

Unless a short red head was a good reason.

His fists tightened in his lap. The anger was still there, boiling inside him and begging him to hit something until his own hand broke. Whoever did that to her, whoever hurt her deserved to have their head ripped off. And he wanted to be the one dealing the punishment.

That still wasn't even clear to him as of why he wanted that. She'd been nothing but unpleasant to him, and him to her, and yet, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to protect her as much as he protects Isabelle, Alec, and especially Max. Even though her curiosity, her stubbornness, her looks, her ability to shoot back any kind of retort against his sarcasm made him extremely uncomfortable and nervous, he still wanted to be near her all the time. When Isabelle told him to leave, that she'd deal with Clary, he realized how badly he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to be next to her, to help her.

That's what really scared the shit out of him.

Aline sighed in the seat next to him, and he realized that they were already at the school, sitting in her parking spot. She twisted the key, turning the car off and turned to face him. "Jace, just be honest with me."

Against his better judgment, he turned towards her, meeting her gaze. "Okay."

"Is there someone else?"

There it was. The dreaded question. And dammit, if she wanted and honest answer, she'd get one. Jace took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly, picturing Tiger's face before looking at Aline again.

"Yes."

Her expression, if he actually cared, would've broken his heart. She looked destroyed, hurt, like she was about to break down in tears. This wasn't the first time, and he knew what it was like dealing with a hysterical Aline Penhallow. It wasn't pretty.

His brain searched for a way to recover, to not deal with the tears. "Look, Aline, we've broken up plenty of times. I feel like we should be experts at this now."

She pushed her black hair away from her face, glaring at him with everything she had. "Really? Experts? Jace, you're the expert at dumping people. That doesn't mean I'm good at dealing with it."

"Well, you're not crying yet," he pointed out. She didn't find it funny, and he sighed, shifting in his seat until they faced each other. "I don't really know what to tell you, other than the fact that I'm not feeling it anymore."

In fact, he hadn't been feeling it for a while. No, scratch that, he never felt it in the first place. He only went out with Aline when he and Kaelie broke up. When she broke up with him, the pain was hard, worse than anything he'd ever had. He remembered it all too well, and Aline was just the rebound girl, helping him deal with it. As much as he hated being that guy, that's what the truth was.

And Aline knew that.

"Is it Isabelle?" she asked.

His eyes widened, and he felt the need to throw up. "Uh, fuck no."

"Then who?"

"Does it really matter?" he shot back. Her eyes were dried now, the anger covering up the tears and sadness. He could see that she just wanted to slap him at this point, and he leaned back in the seat as a precaution. "It's simple, Aline. I'm not into it, into you. That's all there is to it."

She brushed the back of her hand against her eyes, looking away from him. "Just like that? You can just flip the switch just like that?"

He sighed, closing his eyes and running one hand through his hair when he pulled his hat off. "It's not flipping a switch."

Aline looked down, grabbing her bag from the middle console. "Whatever, Jace."

She reached for the door handle, pulled it open, and stepped out of the car. The door slammed, a clear sign that she wished his face was between it, and started to storm off towards the school.

Jace didn't move. He dropped his head to the dashboard, wondering what the hell he just did. He just dumped Aline, but at least this time she took it way better. There weren't any tears for once, only anger and hatred. He could handle that. He could handle it if she hated him and talked shit. The tears weren't okay though.

Either way, he still didn't feel all that great about it. Normally he felt power after breaking hearts, but right now he just wanted to go back to the Lightwoods, not deal with the questions, and punch a dummy in the training room until he passed out from exhaustion. He didn't want to play in this stupid game. He didn't want to deal with the questions that Helen and everyone would ask, all the girls trying to get with him now that he was single, or all the guys wondering how he could dump the hottest girl in school for the fourth time.

High schoolers were just too curious for this kind of thing, but he had to face it.

The parking lot was crowded, as usual, and Jace slipped out of the car, locking the door and closing it with his bag slung over one shoulder.

"Here we go," he said to no one in particular. But he didn't take a single step before his phone started ringing. He fished it out of his pocket, leaning against Aline's car as he pulled it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Is this Jace Herondale? Grandson of Imogen Herondale?"

Jace's heart stopped at the sound of the foreign man's voice. "Yes, what's going on?"

There was a pause, and voices were talking in the background. Jace's heart started pounding at the thought of his grandmother. So many things could've happened, and all the scenarios in his head weren't good.

The man's voice returned after a few minutes, and Jace closed his eyes, taking in every word. "Son, your grandmother… it doesn't look good."

* * *

"So, are you excited about tonight?" Isabelle asked as she and Clary descended the stairs outside the house.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Isabelle was ready for the day. Clary was ready to jump off a bridge at that girl's indecisiveness when it came to picking an outfit. And after fifteen minutes off looking and ten minutes of trying them on, she finally settled for a white dress with cowboy boots and a sunflower in her hair.

It was at that moment that Clary realized Isabelle could pull off anything and everything.

Magnus was standing by the Camaro in the circle drive, the keys in his hand and the driver's door open. Her mind drifted as they approached him, going back to Isabelle's question. She wasn't really sure, to be totally honest. Seeing Sebastian would be exciting and she couldn't wait, but where Sebastian was, her brother and Kaelie were. "Yes and no."

"Why is that?"

She gave Isabelle a look as they made it to the last stair. "You're seriously asking that question?"

Magnus approached them as they neared the car, and bowed slightly in his tux before Isabelle could answer. His hair was perfect, as always, and barely moved because of the hair gel as he looked up at them through slim eyes. "Your chariot awaits, ma'am."

"Thank you Magnus," Isabelle said with a smile as she took the keys from his hand. She looked back at the house for a second before slowly turning back to Magnus. "And can I ask a favor of you?"

He straightened up, smiled and nodded. One thing that Clary learned about Magnus was that he actually didn't mind working for the Lightwoods, and Isabelle treated him more decent then she would've expected. It wasn't like he was a butler, but someone that was almost part of the family.

Isabelle stepped up to him, touching his arm with her hand as she spoke. "Jace went on a rampage this morning and it seems my door is no longer connected to the frame."

Magnus's smile faltered for a moment, and then he just dropped his head and sighed. "I'll see if I can work my magic."

Isabelle then stepped up on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek, and that smile that Clary couldn't help but enjoy showed back up again on his face. "Thanks darling," Isabelle said cheerfully and she slipped past him towards the car.

Clary just patted his shoulder when he passed, opening the door for her like a gentleman and slipped inside the passenger seat.

Luckily, Isabelle didn't speak and immediately went to play music, giving Clary time to think and regroup from the hectic morning that she'd had. She had to get her act together, calm down and relax about the fact that yes, she would see Jace and yes, she would have to talk to him. He'd talk to her, and she'd have to be civil back to him. A reputation about fighting him wasn't something she wanted right now, and if she had to act to make everyone else think that everything was okay, she would.

But okay was the last way she'd describe her life right now. It was turned upside down and sideways getting squished by the weight of the world and nothing was getting easier. All she needed was a break from everything. Just a few hours.

She looked down when her phone started buzzing her pocket, and frowned down at it. It was an unknown number, but she answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Clary?"

She pulled it back, looking at it before pulling it back to her ear again. "Alec?"

"Yeah, it's me." She wanted to ask how he got her number, but she let it go, figuring it was best to just let him talk. "Are you with my sister?"

She glanced over at Isabelle, who was now looking at her and the road back and forth in confusion. "Yeah, Isabelle is right here."

He breathed out through the phone like he was holding his breath for way too long. "Thank God, let me talk to her."

Clary did, listening into Isabelle's part of the conversation as she drove down the streets towards school. She kept tapping the steering wheel, not saying a word as Alec talked away. A few times Clary could see the distress on Isabelle's face, and she wanted to ask what was happening so badly. She wanted to know, so bad! It seemed like it took forever before she finally spoke.

"Where is he?" Isabelle asked in a frantic tone. Clary was then flung forward as Isabelle slammed on the breaks, turning just as a black F-250 drove by her on the road going the opposite direction. Actually, it flew by. She turned to look out the window, Clary following her movements to watch as it faded quickly in the distance. "Never mind, I found him," Isabelle said.

"Where?" she heard Alec ask.

Isabelle sighed, looking back forward and whipping the car around. Luckily, the road was pretty empty for the time being, and Clary was flung into the side door as Isabelle followed the massive truck. "Heading there now. Tell our teachers that Clary and I can't be at school today because we're with Jace."

Clary's eyes widened. "Jace?" she hissed at Isabelle, getting no response back as they followed the black truck down the streets lined with trees and houses. Not even an shrug or acknowledgement towards Clary's obvious reluctance.

"Yeah, love you to bro," Isabelle said. "I'll keep you updated."

She then tossed the phone back in Clary's lap, looking straight ahead with her jaw set.

Clary waited. She waited for something, some explanation or an answer as to why they were suddenly heading away from school to… who knew where?

Finally, the silence and soft play of music was enough to drive Clary insane. She leaned forward in her seat, looking right at Isabelle. "Want to explain what's going on?"

It was obvious that Isabelle didn't, but she took a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel with both hands. "Jace's only family, the only family that he has left, is his grandmother. Alec said that as soon as he got to school, Jace mentioned something about a call from the home and said he had to go. Then he just took the keys and left the school in a massive hurry, and Alec wanted us to find him and stay with him."

"Why?"

"Because Jace can't deal with losing his grandmother on his own," she said. Her voice was small now, like she was in pain too. "She's the reason that Jace didn't completely lose it after his parents died. But when Jace's father, Stephen, passed, Imogen didn't take it any better than Jace. She's been under assisted living for the past year due to mental and health issues, and the doctors have said that she hasn't been doing well lately. She told my parents that her time might be coming sooner rather than later, and that was a few weeks ago."

Clary swallowed against the lump in her throat. She'd never knew her grandparents, and had a feeling that knowing them and losing them would be worse than not knowing at all. "You mean…"

A nod was the only thing that Isabelle had to do, but she spoke anyway. "Jace can't lose another person in his life. He'd break, permanitely. I know he acts all high and mighty, but he's human like the rest of us."

Clary looked back forward, staring at the truck that Alec had taken that morning. It was a good two hundred yards ahead of them, flying down the road and passing people left and right down the two lane street. He was being reckless, Clary thought, but she couldn't judge him for it. If it was Sebastian in a hospital, she'd do anything to get there ten seconds faster. Because that ten seconds could mean the world when it came to life or death situations.

Her brain couldn't even comprehend what Jace must be feeling. She remembered when she found out her mother had left, and remembered the pain and frustration of not being able to do anything about it. She knew what it was like to be helpless, to have no control, and Jace wouldn't have any control over what's going on with Imogen. She understood what Isabelle meant. She knew Jace well enough to know that feeling small isn't something he would handle very well, and she wouldn't put it past him to hurt a few people just to let everything out – the anger, the pain, the frustration, the helplessness, the tears, the agony.

"Clary, I'm going to have to ask something of you that you're not going to want to do."

Clary glanced over at Isabelle. "What is it?"

"When we get there, when we get to the home, Jace is going to try to burst through those doors like the Hulk. He'll hurt anyone who gets in his way, me included." She glanced away from the road momentarily, meeting Clary's eyes briefly. "But you might be able to do something about it."

She knew what Isabelle was saying, what she was suggesting, and Clary definitely didn't agree with it at all. That was a situation that was more than uncomfortable, but reckless and illogical. "Isabelle, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Alec can't be here," Isabelle said in a stern voice. "My parents are gone, and Max is in school. I know Jace, better than Jace knows Jace, and I also know that there is nothing I can do to help him."

Clary sighed, crashing back against her seat. Her hands fiddled with the phone in her lap, staring down at it. "I don't think I'll be able to do much either. We both know that Jace and I–"

"I don't care," she snapped. Clary's eyes widened at the sharpness of it. "I don't care if you think it'll never work. I'm not saying distract him. I'm saying help him. We can worry about school, the game, and Sebastian later. But right now, I need you to focus on Jace."

Well, this wasn't going to be good. Clary glanced out the window, trying to think of something to say to Jace, something that would actually help, but she wasn't good at this stuff. She wasn't good at comforting others. This was Sebastian's job. He was the one who knew what to say, how to calm people like her down. How was she supposed to get someone like Jace to think rationally? She could think of a few things, but none of them were something that she wanted to do.

"There are some things that you need to know though." Clary looked up, focusing on the black truck as Jace made a right turn on some random road. Isabelle sighed, making the same turn shortly after. "When this happens, Jace tends to be a little… irrational. They'll have security there, prepared to deal with him at the front door since they already called him ahead of time."

That sounded a bit extensive to Clary. "So if they have people to deal with him, why do we have to be there?" she asked.

"Because Jace will more than likely put another one of them in the hospital," Isabelle said much too calmly. "Last time something like this this happened, it was because Imogen had a heart attack. Jace broke one security guy's arm and gave the other a massive concussion just to find her because they said he couldn't see her until she was stable. And that was six months ago, before he did all this extra training with Alec and learned how to really kill someone."

"They really should start investing in tasers. I heart they work wonders."

Isabelle gave Clary a look. "That kind of talk isn't going to be very helpful."

Clary saw her point, but she wasn't sure what else to say. She wasn't good at this stuff. She didn't have experience with this stuff! And Isabelle was putting way too much pressure on her shoulders right now, more than Clary ever bargained for. This was over her head. Dealing with a guy like Jace when his grandmother isn't well is a death sentence.

And she was not going to die today.

"Here we are," Isabelle said as she whipped the car in a parking lot that was unfamiliar to Clary. "When Jace parks, I need you to hop out and stop him before he does something seriously stupid, okay?"

Clary swallowed against the lump in her throat and nodded. This was it. This was not what she planned on doing today, but apparently, she was the best one for the job. How that happened was still a mystery, but she didn't have much time to think about it before Jace's brake lights turned off and the angel boy hopped out of the truck near the handicap spots. He looked pissed, more than pissed, and Clary watched as he slammed the door shut and took off running towards the brick building.

The car suddenly came to a halt, just as Jace was running towards the door. He didn't notice them.

Clary undid her seat belt and reached for the door handle. Her heart was racing, pounding against her chest and she felt like she was going to be sick suddenly.

Isabelle's hand descended on her knee and squeezed, causing Clary to look up and meet concerned blue eyes. "Help him," she begged.

"I will," Clary said with more confidence than she truly felt, and then she threw the door open and took off after Jace.

* * *

**TOO MUCH GOING ON! AHH! Let me know what you think, what Clary might do, how Jace is going to react. I'll explain why some things that they siad would happen didnt happen later, for those that catch on, but for now I'm leaving it in the air for you to figure out. TELL ME YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL OPINIONS! And as always, stay tuned for more :)**


	9. Chapter 9 - Do you want me to show you?

**HOLY CRAP! I SAW THE MOVIE THIS WEEKEND AND IT WAS PHENOMENAL! Even if they did change some parts, others were straight from the book, word for word, and if you haven't seen it yet, GOOOOOOOOOO! I loved it so much. Jamie's personality is identical to Jace's in the movie, and Lily is the perfect Clary. I just wish there was more Magnus, but it is what it is. They can only fit so much into one movie. Two thumbs up!**

**But anyway, yeahhhhhh, here's the next chapter in case you might have wanted to read it for some reason.  
**

* * *

Jace tried to focus on his breathing, on calming himself but he was failing miserably. His heart beat was out of control. His blood was pumping faster than anything he'd ever experienced. It was like he was too far deep in his subconscious, trying to break free to control himself but couldn't. Another part of him, the angry and worried part, was taking over and locking the logical part of him away for the time being, prepared to fight through anything and anyone.

This was the worst. When he couldn't control himself, people got hurt and he knew that. But no matter what he did, it wouldn't stop. The training only seemed to calm it temporarily, and in the end made it worse when the situation rose up. Nothing could stop him when–

"Jace!"

He froze just as he was about to burst through the front doors. His hand was on the handle, ready to pull but it wouldn't move. Even after his body fluid was pumping at five hundred miles an hour, it was like everything about him just stopped at the sound of the voice. Maybe something _could_ stop him.

He turned towards it, that voice that was almost always full of condescension, anger, and sarcasm. This time it was full of worry and high pitched.

She looked just like she did earlier, dressed exactly the same, but he couldn't help but stare at her as she ran towards him. Her hair flowed back and forth at the speed of her running, and, much to his surprise, she didn't stop. In fact, her body collided with his, forcing him back into the door roughly as she wrapped her arms around him torso and squeezed with all her might.

What was happening? He looked down once he recovered, down at the redhead with her head against his chest and her arms around him. Granted, this isn't the way he wanted this to happen, but he definitely wasn't complaining. Instead of saying a word and asking how she got here, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him and praying to the big guy in the sky that this wasn't just one of her little tricks.

He wasn't sure how long they just stood there, or how she even got there in the first place. His eyes were close. His head leaned back against the glass of the door as Clary clung to him. For once, for the first time in a long time, he actually didn't think about killing somebody. He was just relaxed, even in the current situation and knowing what was happening in the doors just behind him and to his left.

"Don't read into this," Clary said suddenly, pulling away from him. He didn't let her go, though. His hold was tight as she looked up at him, their chests and legs still pressed together. It was exhilarating, whether she wanted to admit it or not. "But I'm not letting you in there if you're going to go all psycho on those security guards."

"Thank you ma'am. I can't deal with another broken arm."

Jace looked to his left, towards the voice that he knew pretty well. Samuel Blackwell and Emil Pangborn stood there in their uniforms with the door wide open, arms across their chests as they stared down at Jace.

He looked from one to the other, and his face went from content to a glare instantly. "Where is she?"

"Calm down, Mr. Herondale," Pangborn ordered and one of his hands dropped to his weapons belt, where what looked like a taser and a gun sat on his right hip. When did they start using tasers?

Calming down wasn't on his list of things to do. "I want to see her."

"You will, when she's ready. She's out of treatment, and resting," Blackwell said. He glanced between Jace and Clary, and Jace felt the sudden need to hide her from his gaze. It wasn't like he was scary, but neither of these men were very welcoming in appearance. They had scars. They were huge. One hadn't shaved and honestly, they looked pretty dangerous too. And standing there in uniform and scowling down at the two of them was making Jace a bit uneasy, especially when they'd glance at Clary.

He felt her shiver when Blackwell looked down at her again and instinctively pulled her behind him, facing up against the two officers. And he was acutely aware of the way her hand gripped his right arm, just above his wrist, like she didn't want him to go anywhere. If he wasn't so worried, he would've smiled at the feeling.

"When will she be ready?" Jace asked.

Blackwell glanced back in the building. "I don't really know. But you need to just relax, and try not to hurt anyone until the doctors come out with some news. Can you do that?" His eyes stared right into Jace's. "Are you going to be able to control yourself this time?"

"I'll keep him calm," Clary said suddenly with much conviction. Jace wanted to look back at her, ask her why she was doing this, but she was too close to him for his brain to function appropriately. Her grip tightened on his wrist, almost reassuringly.

"Thank you darling," Pangborn said with a nod. He glanced at Jace once more, a clear warning in his eyes before both officers went back into the building. Jace could see them through the glass doors, standing about five feet from the entrance and facing each other, clearly waiting for him to snap.

A hand came up and gripped Jace's cheek, pulling his face away from the building and down to meet a pair of bright green eyes. "Jace, you still look like lasers are going to come out of your eyes." Her eyes searched his face, and his own eyes were mesmerized by her features. Even if he got a good glimpse on the staircase, nothing compared to the spark in her eyes now as the worry was clearly visible, the morning light shone down on her, and the fact that she was actually feeling comfortable around him. It just sparked something greener he'd never seen before.

"How did you find me?" he asked.

Clary glanced behind her towards the parking lot, and he followed her gaze until the familiar Camaro was in his sights. "Isabelle," she answered.

Jace nodded once. "How did she know?"

"Alec."

"I thought her phone was broken since last night. Didn't Max drop it in the toilet?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, a small smile tugging on the corner of her lips. "He did, and she's still angry about it. But Alec called me on the way to school."

"Why were you with her?"

"My bike is out of gas," she said lamely. He couldn't help but smile at the blush that came with it, like she was embarrassed about it.

Clary's hand fell from his cheek, and the warmth that was there faded with it. He looked down at her face, at how innocent and small she was, but her gaze was focused on his jersey. Her hand was now running over the number sixteen, tracing the stitches like an admiring artist. "I don't really know why she expected me to help you."

"Because she knows me better than anyone else," he answered without hesitated.

But honestly, Isabelle was right, and Jace knew that. She was always right when it came to him. He hated it, naturally. He hated how she could read him, even if he refused to actually tell her she was right all the time, but he couldn't deny the fact that Isabelle nailed it on the head again. Clary was the one that could help him, and even if she didn't know what she was doing, she was doing a great job at it.

The hand that was gripping his wrist slid down, and he looked down to watch as their fingers intertwined. "Jace, can we go for a walk?"

"A walk?" He raised his eyebrows, a reversed dejavu situation popping into his head.

She nodded and gently pulled his hand. "Please?"

How was he supposed to resist that? As much as he wanted to stay and as much as he wanted to go, either decision wasn't exactly easy. He wanted to stay with his grandmother, which was the reason he was here, but Clary was giving him a look she'd never given him before, and he was melting under it.

His eyes traveled backwards, back towards the glass doors that had Assisted Living written across them. "I don't know, I–"

"It won't be far," she assured him. "You'll be able to get back here as soon as they call for you. I just want to go far enough to where Isabelle can't eavesdrop, because I think we need to talk. A private talk."

A private talk? Jace's heart started pounding even harder in his chest when she pulled him away from all the chaos. Not a word was spoken between them as they walked, which was only a short distance to the side of the Assisted Living Home. Clary looked back at the parking lot, more than likely at Isabelle, before she followed Jace along the side and they were on their own.

He leaned back against the brick wall, dropping his head and shoving his hands in his pockets. He wasn't sure if he should prepare himself for what she had to say and because of that, he found it hard to look at her. So his eyes focused on the pebbles on the sidewalk, but only for a short time.

She forced him to anyway. She was standing in front of him, one foot between the two of his as her fingers pulled his chin up so he could look at her.

She searched his eyes for a moment before she finally said, "What's going on with you?"

It wasn't harsh, but curious. Her voice was almost a whisper, like she didn't mean to actually ask it, like it was a thought more than a question that wasn't meant to be shared.

"I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to," Jace answered softly.

"Alright, let me try this again." She closed her eyes, sighing loudly before opening them again. "Why me?"

He shrugged, looking down at the ground for a moment. His hands were in fists in his pockets, mainly from his own stupidity and frustration at his own confusion. "I don't know. I honest to God don't know."

"So you're not denying it?" She dropped her hand and stepped back, but before she could get too far, Jace grabbed her.

His instincts took over, something that he wasn't used to. He always kept himself under control. His body never acted without permission, but this time was different. Nothing about him could be contained as he twisted them, pressing Clary up against the wall and grabbing her hands, pressing them next to her face until she was trapped under him and against the wall. Her breath caught at the action, but didn't protest. And he was acutely aware of the pounding in his heart at this point.

He leaned his forehead against hers, her breath mixing with his as they both started to breathe heavily. "Clary, I can't deny it. Isabelle knows, and there's no point in denying it anymore. I feel something, something that I don't understand but I feel it. And I know that you know that I feel it so why would I lie about that?"

Until that moment, Jace noticed that she seemed reluctant, like she didn't want him to actually touch her but did at the same time. Luckily, as he spoke, something inside her seemed to snap. Her hands closed around his own digits, their fingers digging into the back of each other's hands and he heard her breath accelerate. "You know that this is a very, very bad idea."

"I broke up with Aline," he blurted out. Her eyes widened but he continued without a second thought. "I mean, I _really_ broke up with her, permanently. And you know what? Your face was the one that popped into my head when she asked if there was someone else. Tell me what you think that means. Right now." He paused for a moment, taking a breath. "Tell me that you don't feel as exhilarated and excited as I am having you this close to me."

That's when her breath seemed to stop completely. He pulled back enough to look into her eyes and he saw everything. She was shocked, her mouth wide open as she gazed up at him. Nothing had ever been so beautiful to him, and his eyes settled on her lips, wanting nothing more than to feel them on his own. He bit his lip just to stop himself.

"Jace," she said softly and the sound of his name sent waves of… something through him. "I can't do that."

"But you said we needed to talk. And this is what I want to talk about." He dropped her hands, and she let them fall when he pressed his palms against the bricks on either side of her head, keeping her in front of him. There were no immediate plans to let her leave either.

She shook her head. "This isn't talking. You're... I don't even know, but this isn't the best time to talk about," she gestured between their bodies, "whatever is going on here exactly."

He leaned down until his nose was nuzzled against her cheek, down her jaw, and then his face was buried in her hair at the crook of her neck. To his own surprise she didn't pull away, but she also didn't touch him back either. He could feel the conflict coming off of her in waves, crashing over her again and again. He wished that he could do something to show her that it made sense, that they made sense, and that he wouldn't do what her biggest fears told her he would.

Nothing came to mind though. He took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say and just managed to make his head spin because of her strawberry shampoo. So much for being immune to that.

"And what's going on here exactly?" he finally asked into her hair, smiling when she shivered slightly.

"How the hell do I know?" He felt her turn her head slightly, giving him a bit more space on the side of her neck. "You tell me," she whispered in a tone that was more confident than he expected.

He pulled back, not far but enough and bent down to look her right in the shining, green eyes. "Do you want me to show you?"

With his heart pounding and his head spinning, trying to take her all in before he actually did the unthinkable, he started to lean in without her actual answer. He took it slow, just slow enough to where he could make it last but not too slow to drive himself crazy. And when he was close, so close, he felt her hand on his chest. He thought for a moment that she would push him away, that she'd say this was a bad idea again, but his own surprise came out in a grunt when she wrapped her hands in his jersey and yanked him towards her.

Their mouths collided instantly, and Jace felt himself unfold without any hesitation. Clary's free hand made its way to his hair, throwing his hat off to the floor and wounding her fingers in his curls. One of his hands moved to cup her cheek, gently rubbing his thumb against the skin as their lips moved in synch while the other dropped to her hip. His fingers dug into the fabric there and he stepped closer to her, pinning her body with his until she had nowhere to go, because dammit, she was not leaving.

With their eyes closed and their hands gripping, Jace fought to keep control, not of her but of himself. He didn't want to get carried away which was something he always did. It was hard, especially with Clary gripping at him like this, kissing him like this, holding him like this. He tasted everything, a taste that he craved but never knew he wanted until now. It was the whole combination that had him going so insane, and his brain was seriously losing this battle. He tried to be civil, to keep them under control, but hell, it was impossible.

And because of that, his hands slid down until both of them gripped the back of her thighs. Without breaking their mouth contact, he lifted her and her legs wrapped around his hips as he held her up, an animalistic noise coming from deep in his throat as his tongue entered her mouth when she gasped. Then she moaned, one of the most delicious sounds Jace had ever heard, when he pushed her back against the wall and dug his fingers into her sides. It only fueled his fire, his desire, the eagerness in his touch when she made noises that like that and pulled his hair, something he didn't think would be pleasurable until she actually tried it, and it was fantastic.

This was better than he ever really imagined. Every time he saw her, thought about her, nothing compared to having the real thing in his arms, touching his lips. He felt like he was burning, and loved every second of it. She was like a drug, one that he didn't seem to get enough of.

Something vibrated against his lower half, and the shock of what it was broke his mouth from Clary's. He pulled back, looking between their bodies but keeping her suspended in the air. Her breath was heavy and brushing the hair on his forehead. "What the–"

"It's my phone," she answered. He looked back up at her, smiling at the look on her face. It was flushed, her blood making her cheeks a pinkish color. Her eyes were glossy and her lips opened as she tried to catch her breath.

God, she was fantastic.

But that stupid vibration kept going off. "Jace, I have to answer it."

"Can't you leave it?" he asked when he closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers. His hands squeezed her thighs, refusing to loosen up at all. "Just throw it on the floor or something. I'm not afraid to admit I was enjoying what was going on here a few seconds ago. Just let it go and kiss me."

She sighed, leaning her head back. "But it's Sebastian."

That bastard had his own fucking vibration in her phone? Was he really that fucking special? Jace closed his eyes, trying to contain the anger that started to boil inside of him at the mention of that name. Everything he felt before was now directed at Sebastian, lust turning into hatred and passion turning into a desire to kill.

Sebastian Verlac was someone that Jace never liked, hated actually. The thing was that Isabelle could take care of herself, and Jace was just waiting for the moment where she kicked him in the balls, but Clary wasn't Isabelle. She wasn't the strong, independent, terrifying woman that Isabelle was physically. Sebastian could hurt her, and the fact that he was closer to Clary than Jace was unsettling, unnerving, and wrong.

Jace's hands came up, balled into fists as he pressed them against the bricks. Clary's legs dropped to the floor and she was surprisingly steady for what just happened between them. It kind of hit his ego pretty hard actually. "All the more reason to ignore him."

"I don't want to ignore him."

"I want you to stay away from him."

She laughed. Not a little, but a lot.

He pulled back, eyes wide and looked down at her. Her phone was in her hand now as he stepped away from her, and when she met his gaze, her face changed.

"Wait a minute," she paused for a moment, studying him like he was studying her. "You're being serious?"

His hands flew in the air. "Of course I am!"

"Let's get one thing straight right now Jace." Her voice was steady, like he never kissed her breath away in the first place. Jace swallowed, not sure what he just got himself into but an angry redhead now had one finger against his chest, poking him as she spoke but it was better than a slap. "Whatever happened between us just now doesn't give you the right to tell me what to do. You don't know me, own me, or control me, and you don't know Sebastian. He's my best friend, and I don't care if you have a problem with him. I'm not going to let him leave my life, and if you don't like that, you'll be the first to go, understand?"

Jace reached up, one hand going to his hair. He wanted to slap some sense into her, to show her how idiotic she was being at this point. "Yeah, I get it. But that doesn't mean that I trust that jackass. He's not as nice and perfect as you think, Tiger."

She shook her head, a single fake laugh escaping her throat as she backed up against the brick wall again. Her phone was shoved back in her pocket, and Jace couldn't help but feel better about that. At least she didn't answer it.

She looked right at his jersey number across significant distance between them that Jace hated so much. "And you are?"

He smirked. "Of course, but I'm glad that you think I'm perfect too. That makes two of us."

"That's-I didn't-"

"You didn't have to say it, but I mean it about Sebastian," he answered honestly and got her full attention. "I never pretended to be the good guy, or sweet, or caring - even if the rest of the world chooses to believe it - but I am honest, and I can honestly say that I hate Sebastian and all of his friends with a passion, including that Jonathan Morgenstern punk he always hangs out with. They're trouble, and I don't want you around Sebastian when Jonathan is there. That's all I'm saying. I just want you to be safe, and I know for a fact that Jonathan and Sebastian could hurt you if they wanted to."

Something flashed in Clary's eyes and she quickly broke eye contact, turning her head so he could barely see her. "You don't even know him."

"But I do." He stepped up to her, and was more than relieved when she didn't push him away. His hands ran up her arms and back down, looking into her eyes when she finally turned her head. Goosebumps started to form under his fingertips as the ran over her skin. "Clary, I just don't want you to get hurt."

She bit her lip, still shaking her head. "It's funny, that's why everyone told me to stay away from you. Including Simon and Isabelle."

He nodded, knowing that was going to happen. He bent his head down, his lips brushing her cheek all the way to her ear. "And why didn't you?" he asked in a whisper.

"Because I'm a stupid almost sixteen year old that can't control her own fucking emotions."

Jace jerked back at that, a look of complete dismay on his face. "You're fifteen? I thought you were already sixteen."

"I wish," she answered almost in shame. "My dad got me my bike license early due to his connections, but I don't turn sixteen until next week."

He smiled. "So I can spend your Sweet Sixteen with you?"

"Only if Sebastian can come," she told him. He frowned, still hating the idea but her arms came around his neck, twisting one of his curls in her hands at the nape of it. "I still think we need to figure a few things out first before we get to that though."

He knew what she was talking about, and nodded. He gently placed his hands on her hips, holding her there. If he had the choice, he'd never let her leave either. "You know that I've never hid this since it started. Everyone knows that I like you, and I know what I want this to be. But the question is, do you?"

"I don't know." Her answer didn't exactly inspire confidence. "I know that if everyone found out, it would be hell to pay."

"A little hell is good every once in a while. Otherwise, life would be boring."

"I've got too much shit to deal with already." She looked down, their gazes breaking and he saw the pain in the green iris as she looked away. His hands slid to hers, trying to offer reassurance with a slight squeeze. "I don't know how much more I can actually take."

"You're stronger than you think."

And he truly believed she was. Not in the physical sense because she was probably the smallest person he'd ever met in his life. Seriously, she more than likely could apply for midget status, but she was heart strong and head strong. They often get mixed up with stubborn, but Jace knew the difference between them, and he knew that Clary had it.

She stepped forward, her cheek pressing against the number on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her back, holding her like the first time against the doors a few minutes before. "Jace, you don't know that. You're just saying it to make me feel better."

He kissed the top of her head lightly, taking in the smell of strawberries again. "I'm not a liar," he said into her hair.

"Just because you think you're telling the truth doesn't mean it's actually true though."

"I'm Jace Herondale," he said proudly. "I'm never wrong."

"But I'm not who you think I–"

"Jace! Clary!" Both of them pulled away at the sound of Isabelle's voice, their physical contact breaking completely as she rounded the corner in her white dress and boots. Her eyes went straight to Jace. "You can see Imogen. She's better."

"She is?" He perked up as the conversation between him and Clary faded instantly. He wanted to ask what she was about to say, but his grandmother was too important right now. One foot was ready to take him to see his grandmother, but the other didn't want to leave Clary. He stopped himself from running towards the front doors and turned back to the redhead. "Tiger, can you come with me?"

She pointed to herself. "You want me to see your grandmother with you?"

He nodded. "I think she'd like you." He held his hand out and smiled when she placed her own in his, their fingers intertwining and he kept her close as they walked towards Isabelle, who was eyeing them both. "Not a word Izzy."

She held her hands up defensively. "It's not me you have to worry about when people find out. I was team Clace the whole time."

Jace gave her a look as he passed, but Isabelle grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"What is it?" he asked.

She pointed behind him, towards the floor where he and Clary were a few seconds before and then back to his head. "You might want to put your hat on if you don't want everyone to know what you and Clary were just up to."

And Jace couldn't help but laugh slightly when Clary groaned in embarrassment, dragging him towards the door like she was trying to get away from Isabelle as fast as possible.

* * *

The old smell, that kind of smell that just seemed to surround old people in general, hit Clary as soon as she stepped through the front doors. It was strong, but Jace didn't even seem to notice as he pulled her by her hand into the mass of younger people and older citizens in wheelchairs.

"Hold it, Jace." One of the officers put his hand up, stepping in front of the two of them before they made it too far inside. Another shiver went up Clary's spine when his eyes moved to hers, mainly because this guy was just so massive and terrifying. "Are you going as well, young lady?"

She merely nodded, thankful when Jace spoke up. "She won't be a problem. We're just going to see my grandmother and we won't cause a problem."

The other man came up, getting into some heated debate with Jace about how much trouble he'd get into, so Clary just zoned out, focusing on Jace more than anyone else.

She wasn't really sure why. He was just fascinating to watch, to pay attention to because he could change so quickly. Instead of the hot, sexy football player, his facial expression had changed into one of a responsible adult. Compared to the other two, he wasn't exactly massive but he looked like he could hold his ground, like he could take them. He certainly could with his words are they argued. That much was for sure.

Her mind flashed back to the conversation with Isabelle, back when she was talking about his family. She tried to picture Jace like that, like a broken child that couldn't take any more pain, and she couldn't. Jace just seemed so strong, so powerful, that nothing could ever really bring him down. It was so impossible to even think about. She didn't even think he could cry, even if he wanted to. It would just look so wrong on him. Tears would be so foreign and far from belonging on his face.

His thumb started to rub against the back of Clary's hand, as if he knew that she was staring at him. His mouth was turned up in a smirk, and his hard eyes now had a spark in them.

"I got it," Jace said to the two officers, and after a few more words were exchanged that Clary didn't catch onto, Jace started to pull her through the motel looking home.

People seemed to move out of the way when he approached. Clary couldn't help but notice it. It was like they were scared, like the nurses and assistants knew what he was capable of and chose to stay away. Not that she really blamed them. If what Isabelle said was true, and Clary figured it was, then he had his way of hurting people and not hiding it. They'd probably seen way more of an angry Jace than they wanted to.

"Why were you staring at me?" Jace asked when they rounded one of the corners. It wasn't anywhere near as busy as the main corridor, and at least gave them a bit of privacy. Not much but enough.

"I was just thinking about some stuff. I guess I didn't realize I was staring."

His hand squeezed hers a little, and she was pulled closer into him. Then he released her hand, only to wrap it around her back and tug her even closer. Everything about her body was electrified, and she fought against the urge with everything she had, knowing that what she wanted right now was the opportune moment.

He leaned down, kissing her hair. "What were you thinking about?"

"You," she answered honestly, and she could practically feel the smile forming on his face. "And about some stuff that Isabelle told me about you."

She felt him stop, his hand curling into her side stopped its circle movements as well. "What did she say?" he asked when they were facing each other.

Clary wrapped her arms around her torso, backing up into the wall until her back pressed against it. She needed her space so she could think. "I don't want to make you upset right now, Jace. Maybe we should talk about this later. You're grandmother is-"

"Upset?" He frowned. "Why would I get upset?" She stayed quiet, looking away from him. "Clary, what did Isabelle tell you?"

Her brain scrambled for a way to ask him without making him angry at her or Isabelle for telling in the first place. She bit her lip, meeting his golden gaze when she finally decided that the truth was the best way to go.

"Isabelle just told me that you didn't really handle losing your parents well, and frankly, neither did your grandmother. And when you were talking to those officers, I was just curious to see you like that, because I can't imagine you being that kid. Not that I actually want to see that side of you, but I just can't imagine it."

"That kid?"

"The one that can't handle it. The one that breaks down, that feels like it's the end of the world." Her voice lowered to a whisper then, and she continued. "Because I've been there, at least in a sense. I've had shit happen to, and I know that I'm not strong like you, so to hear that you've been broken before is just hard to wrap my mind around. We've barely known each other for five days, and I just think that the way Isabelle described you was a bit exaggerated from how you've acted since we met."

Jace was quiet for a moment, and Clary watched silently as he leaned against the wall beside her, his hands in his pockets again. He was quiet for a moment, and finally looked over at her, her gaze meeting his as well when she looked up.

"Isabelle didn't exaggerate anything," Jace said. "She's as honest as I am. So whatever she said, it's true."

"You mean, it really did almost… you know...kill you?"

Jace sighed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Frown lines were forming on his perfect face, and Clary wanted to reach up and fix them, to fix his hair, his hat, stop the pain that kept showing up on his face and make him back to the happy Jace that he was for such a short time outside.

Because for that split second outside, especially when he kissed her, she had forgotten everything. She'd forgotten her own pain, her own issues, and was completely and totally focused on Jace. He had literally and completely taken her breath away, and she liked that. No one had ever been able to do that, and she liked the way her brain turned to mush and coherent thoughts just vanished. It was nice to just act without thinking, not that she didn't do that all the time, but this was different. Most of the time, she'd just think about other things, but Jace was able to wipe it all out, to clear her brain and let her let go.

Her face flushed as the past feelings and actions came back in a flood. Everywhere she had touched him and wherever he touched her only needed more, like it would never be enough. His mouth had worked wonders, unlike Simon, Sebastian, and any of those other guys. She wanted to know why. What was it about him that made her body act like that? He made her forget all the promises she made, including the one to Simon, and she just took what she wanted.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

Jace's hand suddenly enveloped hers. "Can we talk about this later?"

His eyes were full of a plea to just let it go, to not continue it like it hurt to talk about it, and Clary nodded. "How about tonight?"

He smiled, although it wasn't as bright or shiny as the others. "Are you sure? I thought you and Isabelle were going with... Sebastian?" It was like the name just sounded nasty on his tongue, his face scrunching up when he said it.

"He can wait," she said, and that was apparently the perfect answer. Jace's reaction made her want to kiss him all over again when his smile finally reached his eyes, one side higher than the other and his chipped incisor showing.

Clary was faintly aware of a door opening and closing, and Jace broke his gaze from hers at the sound of it. He glanced down the hallway past her and his eyes hardened a bit. "Can we see her now?"

She followed his gaze, meeting the eyes of another woman that Clary had never met. "Yes, Mr. Herondale and…" she glanced at Clary, looking down at their clasped hands, "guest."

"Come on," Jace said, pulling Clary down the hall as the woman past, giving her a warning look of some kind. Clary thought about asking what her problem was but decided to ignore it instead.

The door was open when they approached so they stepped right in, and Clary was hit with the smell of cleansing products. Not only that, but everything was white and bright. From the walls, to the curtains on the windows, to the sheets, and the carpet floor, everything was just decked out in the plain, boring color. The artist in her felt the need to liven up the place.

In the middle of the room, pointing towards the door was a bed with an older looking woman on it. She looked far from healthy too. Her face was sunken in, like it was skeletal from a lack of nutrients. Her body was mainly covered with sheets from her ribs down, a white t-shirt covering the rest of her top. Her hair was a pale blonde color, and so thin that it looked practically white. Everything about her was just sad to look at.

Jace pulled Clary into the room, walking right up to the right side of the bed. She felt like she was invading, like this should be a family thing between a grandmother and her son, but Jace seemed too reluctant to let her hand go. So she stood by the bed awkwardly, not knowing what to say when the woman opened her eyes.

"Jace," she choked out. Her voice was rough. She was obviously in pain.

Jace scanned her body, his eyes settling on her face before he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Don't sugarcoat it. How bad?"

The woman sighed, closing her eyes when he pulled away. "Seven." His breath seemed to hitch, worry lines forming and the woman moved her gaze from him to Clary. She didn't look like she was in too much pain, but her eyes showed most of it. "And who is this?"

"Hi. I'm Clary." She waved with her free hand, not sure what to do.

"Short for Clarissa, yes?" Imogen asked. Clary nodded. Jace's hand released Clary's again, pulling her into him and wrapping his hand around her waist. Imogen noticed, looking down to where his hand was resting on her hip. "You're beautiful, child."

The blush she was fighting came back in a wave, and Jace chuckled next to her. "She is, isn't she?"

Her head whipped up towards him. Did he just say she was beautiful? There was no way, was there? He wasn't the type of guy that said those kinds of things, or even agreed with them. Clary saw him as the guy that called girls, hot, or sexy, or fine as hell but not beautiful. That was Sebastian and Simon's department.

"She seems like a diamond," Imogen smiled. Clary's head leaned against Jace's shoulder. She didn't know what to say or how to act, and really wished that she wasn't being so quiet and shy. Being the center of attention wasn't her strong suit though, so she hoped Jace would take the attention away.

Jace didn't seem to mind and kissed her hair. "She's better," he mumbled into her hair, and she was really starting to hate the blushing thing that he was forcing on her.

Eventually, the two of them took seats at the edge of the bed, and Jace and Imogen got into some conversations that Clary couldn't really keep up with. It was about family, friends that she'd never heard of, Jace's home life outside of the Lightwood's. She really did try to keep to, to pay attention but she was so focused on him in general, watching him that she couldn't bring herself to focus on his words but his actions.

He really was beautiful, even if she hated to admit it. His looks were one in a million, and she knew why Simon was so intimidated by him. He was like a lion, beautiful, dangerous, and deadly wrapped in one tight package. And that was manipulative, just like she thought, but it was like she couldn't pull herself away from him. Every time she thought about it, she found herself more drawn in, like he was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, when Simon found out, he was going to kill her.

"Have you seen them lately?" Imogen asked, bring Clary out of her thoughts.

Jace stiffened in his seat, shaking his head slightly. "It's hard, Nana. Going there is… difficult."

Imogen sighed, closing her eyes. "Jace, I know that it's hard for you, but you need the closure of seeing them, seeing the grave site, of finally realizing what really happened. it could be good for you."

"I know what happened," he snapped. His voice was harsh, tight, and angry, despite the fact that it was his sick grandmother that he was talking to.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it isn't your fault they're dead?" Clary's eyes widened at Imogen's statement, but she still kept her mouth shut. Slowly and painfully, Imogen pushed herself up to lean back against the headboard. Jace helped, despite his anger that was emitting off of him and Clary just sank into her seat, feeling extremely out of place. "Jace," Imogen finally said when he took his seat again. "I love you, but you have to stop blaming yourself."

He shook his head, avoiding all eye contact in general. "I can't do that. As long as I live, it'll be my fault."

"Does Clary agree with that?" Imogen met Clary's gaze when she snapped her head up at her name. "Have you told her?"

Neither was sure who the question was directed at, since she was looking at Clary but talking to Jace. Either way, Clary answered. "I don't really know much of anything."

"I will," Jace butt in. He looked up, his eyes meeting Clary's instantly. "But not right now."

Imogen rolled her eyes, her health not interfering with her attitude. "Jace, stop beating around the bush and be blunt with her like you are with everyone else. You've never tried to hide the truth, and yet you've never opened up about that night. If you two are together, she needs to know."

Together? Like... dating? Clary held a hand up, her body as stiff as Jace's. "Hang on a second–"

Jace acted as if she never spoke though. "Opening up to people isn't that easy, Nana."

Imogen glared at him with all her might. "Sweetheart, your parents would want you to be yourself, to let someone in, to be happy. And this is the happiest I've seen you since the accident, since the breakup with whatever her name was. When you walked in and I finally saw you, it was glorious. You looked happy, and I have a feeling that it was because of a certain beauty in the seat next to you."

Imogen's eyes floated over to Clary's. They were sincere, and Clary could see that the older woman meant every word, but she couldn't help but wonder how true it really was. Hell, it could've been the medication that was making her hallucinate Jace's happiness, because–

"She's a big part of it," he said, turning his head to look at her and Clary actually didn't know what to say for once. His eyes meant every word he said, something she didn't think was possible from him. Her heart sped up as he stared at her for a moment, capturing her gaze like a fly in a spider web. All too soon though, he looked away. "But Nana, there's a time and place for everything and I don't–"

"None of that," Imogen snapped. Her finger weakly rose a few inches, pointing at him sternly. "Dammit Jace, I'm going to see you happy before I die, and I'm not letting you delay it. Understand?"

Clary wasn't sure what to say or do as Jace looked back, just to stare at her. He was just looking at Clary, his golden eyes searching her face, until he finally closed them briefly and looked over at Imogen.

"You're really going to make me do this?"

She nodded, a small smile forming on her chapped lips as she looked at Clary. "And I think you know the best place to make it happen."

There was confusion all over Clary's face, but Jace just nodded as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the seat. "That I do," he said and then she was pulled out of the room, going who knew where with the one boy she swore to never be alone with.

* * *

**So, what has Jace got to say to Clary now? He's trouble. Clary knows it, and yet... well, you can figure it out. Its a struggle when it comes to physical attraction, that's for sure.  
**

**Someone asked me how Jace could say in the last chapter that losing Kaelie was the worst thing he'd ever felt, and you'll find out later on why. It isn't about what happened, but the timing of that certain event, which you all will figure out in due time. Speaking from experience, smaller things can have a bigger effect on you if they happen at a certain time, and it causes an illusion of a worse pain because of the pain that's already there. I hope that makes sense to you all, but that's just my experience. But hey, everyone is different. If it was any other time, losing Kaelie would've been just like losing any other girl to Jace, and the moment he lost her wasn't exactly good for him either. You'll figure out when I write it, but for now, just trust me on it. **

**And I hope this chapter was enough of a "defining" moment for all of you in Jace and Clary's relationship. I haven't really written too much fluffiness so let me know what you think. I'm kind of nervous about it, to be totally honest, and hope you guys really liked it. Otherwise, I'm going to quit and hide out in my dorm room to never write again.**

**Just kidding! But seriously, REVIEW AND TELL ME! My writing is better and faster when I get more reviews, good or bad. They both help, and a special thank you to The Worm In The Apple for being completely honest and actually putting other points in the reviews, and even asking questions about what is a bit confusing to understand. You're awesome, along with the rest of you too! It really does help!**

**And for now, Stay Tuned :)**


	10. Chapter 10 - No promises, No commitments

**Just wanted to say that you all are beautiful, wonder people and you make my day when you fav/fol/review and you have beautiful souls, big hearts, lovely attitudes! You. Are. Perfect!**

* * *

When Jace and Clary emerged into the parking lot, the Camaro was nowhere to be found. Isabelle definitely had some tricks up her sleeve, especially since she decided to leave Clary alone with Jace in the first place, but leaving her stranded and forcing her to leave was a bit extreme. She'd get what's coming to her eventually, Clary promised herself.

But honestly, was she really mad about it?

The ride to wherever they were going was quiet. Jace was driving this massive beast of a truck while she took the passenger side, keeping quiet and not saying a word. It wasn't that it was awkward, but comfortable, even after everything that just occurred between them. The past few events – hell, the past week had Clary's world going upside down worse than it already was.

Everyone she had met at this point wasn't helping the chaos either. Jace wasn't like anyone she'd ever met and challenged her. Simon acted like she was some fragile piece of glass, which she hated but kind of liked at the same time. Either way, she wasn't used to that kind of care. She hadn't felt that kind of care since Jonathan snapped. And Isabelle was just… impossible to figure out. She was easy enough to get along with, but she was as confusing as Jace at times. They were completely honest though, which should make things easier, but in all actuality…no. It didn't. It made the maze that much harder to maneuver through. That's not what she needed, especially with her dad, Jonathan, Sebastian. She didn't need more trouble, more complications.

She couldn't help herself as she glanced over at Jace. He had one elbow on the door, his fingers playing with his lips in the sexiest way possible. His other hand was tight on the top of the steering wheel, and she was extremely glad the seatbelt kept her in her seat, because this attraction thing was getting out of hand. What was it about him that always made her want to kiss him?

But the one question that was really bothering her as she watched him was this: What did he have against Sebastian and Jonathan?

She knew that her brother was bad, and that was completely understandable as to why Jace hated him. Clary hated him too. It probably had to do with football or something as to why they fought, but that still didn't explain Sebastian. Her best friend wasn't a dirty player. He didn't talk trash or start fights. There wasn't a thing that Clary could think of that he could've done to Jace.

"You're staring at me again," Jace smirked.

She glanced away immediately, a small smile tugging at her lips against her will. "Sorry."

"You shouldn't apologize for finding me stunningly attractive."

Clary's eyes rolled, turning her head sideways to look at him. "Haven't you heard that modesty is–"

"Yes," he interrupted. "And I've only heard it from ugly people, which is the reason I don't understand why it's coming out of your pretty little mouth."

If he kept up with these stupid compliments, even indirectly, she'd jump him in half a second.

Instead of following her instincts and urges, she sank back in the seat, crossing her arms over her chest, looking childish. "Your mouth is prettier than mine."

"Magical."

"What?"

He sighed in the driver's seat, shaking his head slightly. "My mouth is not pretty. Nothing about me is pretty. There's hot, magical, breath-taking, and of course, stunningly attractive. That's it. Therefore, my mouth is magical. Or seductive," and then he looked her up and down, making the heat go straight to her cheeks and she had to fight her urges all over again. Too much of this and it would drive her insane.

"Jace, you're what, seventeen?" He nodded in answer, glancing away towards the road again. "Before you turn eighteen, you can still be classified as cute, cuddly, adorable, beautiful, and yes, I can call you pretty."

"Who made that dumb ass rule?" he frowned.

She shrugged, brushing a piece of stray hair out of her face. His expression was actually pretty funny, the way he thought the idea of being called any of those things was repulsive. "Every girl knows that rule," she lied.

"Isabelle never said anything like that."

"Isabelle never went to North," Clary shot back. It wasn't supposed to come out like that, mainly because no one but Simon and Isabelle knew that little detail. There wasn't a thing she could do but hope that Jace ignored it, hoping he didn't start asking questions. That's the last thing she needed.

His free hand came up, grabbing his hat and scratching his head lightly. "I've dated some girls from North, and they've never said anything like that."

"You haven't dated the right girls then."

At that precise moment, Jace pulled up to a red light in the middle of the street. When it stopped completely, he turned towards her, shifting completely and draping one arm over the wheel.

Clary wasn't sure what he was about to say, and the look in her eyes made her regret her earlier statement. It was like a predator looking at a piece of meat. No, actually, it was worse. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she could feel the pounding of her heart under her arms and through her chest.

"So you went to North at one point, right?"

She couldn't do anything but nod, afraid that if she opened her mouth he'd find out more than she needed him to. It was bad enough that she spilled one secret, but she refused to let out the others. His reaction when he finds out about Jonathan wasn't something she wanted to experience yet, so she kept her mouth shut and the secrets inside.

"Clary, who is it that you think I should be seeing from North then?" His eyes were golden and steady as he stared straight into her. "You no longer go to North, so is there someone else I should go after?"

"No!" she practically screamed. Her hand immediately clamped over her mouth, hating herself for the sudden outburst. Jace's smirk only turned into a knowing grin, and she knew that she was screwed. "I mean, no one from North is really all that great."

She jumped at the sound of a honk, and Jace glanced in the mirror, seeing a car behind him, and then pulled through the now green light again. Her heart was racing, mainly because of her nervousness and the position she was in on top of the honk that jumped through her bones. Too much was happening at this point...

He didn't speak for a while, but the grin on his face didn't lessen all that much. "You know," he finally said, "Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I'd like any of those North girls anyway."

"Why not?"

"I think you can come up with some reasons." His head turned towards her and he winked. If she was standing, her knees actually would've given out. No guy had ever done that to her, not like that at least.

This was not good.

Buzz! Buzz! Her phone buzzed again in her pocket, and she had a minor epiphany about the fact that she never called Sebastian back. With a mental note to send him a text or something, she opened Simon's message.

_ Hey, the Evil Queen Bee just made it to school and you're not here. Are you okay?_

That stupid question bothered her every time she heard it now. She glanced up at Jace, noticing that he wasn't really paying attention to her as he drove, and texted back quickly.

** Yeah, I'm okay. I had an emergency to take care of.**

_ Emergency? Like what?_

She figured that saying she was making out with Jace against a brick wall wouldn't exactly classify as an emergency. In fact, Simon should never have to know about that in the first place. Ever. Just another secret for her to keep up with. Fan-fucking-tastic.

** Just some stuff. I'll see you later tonight though, right? Are we still hanging out after school?**

_ Actually, Jordan wanted me and the band to get together just after school. It was kind of a last minute call. _

** Oh, that's okay. We'll talk later though, yeah?**

_ OF COURSE!_

Clary sighed, closing her phone and shoving it back in her pants. She was actually looking forward to seeing Simon today, to get away from Jace. Not that it was a bad thing, but she constantly – like now – found herself looking at him and just admiring him. Or finding herself wishing that he was kissing her, holding her, touching her, and she didn't really like how her body reacted to him right now. It was too fast, too much. Too much of a good thing always went bad in her eyes, and she didn't want that.

She just really wished that it would work. Her heart, even in this short amount of time, hoped and prayed that Jace wouldn't hurt her. Her brain, on the other hand, kept telling her she was a fucking idiot and to jump out of the truck while she still had the chance. Even with all the conflict, she just couldn't stop that bit of her that wanted them to work, while the other part – the sensible part – told her to prepare the flood gates because the tears were inevitable.

Maybe her upset stature was her own feelings sometimes. She probably did it to herself, being the idiot she is.

"God, we're actually here," Jace announced grimly as he put the truck in park and shut the engine off.

Clary glanced out her window and was actually shocked. It wasn't like the shock that she got when she saw the Lightwood's house for the first time or how East was for the first time. This shock wasn't good or nervous. It was bad. Very, very bad, and heartbreaking as she looked before her.

There wasn't anything there. Obviously, due to the driveway, the sidewalk, and the mailbox behind the truck there used to be house here, but now, it was just a bunch of ashes. Trees surrounded the place that a home used to be at, and a few plants had started breaking through the blackness on the ground. The ashes of an old home lied before her, and she really needed to look away. So, naturally, her gaze found Jace.

His forehead pressed against the steering wheel, and his hands gripped the ring tightly. He looked to be in pain, and Clary tentatively, slowly, and cautiously reached out.

That only caused his eyes to shut completely, clenching like he was stabbed. His whole body stiffened when her hand pressed against his shoulder, but she didn't stop. Her other hand reached down, detaching the seatbelt and she slid across the three-seater front seat until she was right next to him. Their thighs hit, the fabric between them pressed together, but he still didn't lift his head.

She rubbed circles on his back, not sure what to do at this point. He was being too quiet for her comfort, and she didn't like that. "Jace?"

"I know that I said I'd tell you," he said softly. There was a brief moment of silence, the half sentence hanging in the air as Clary's hand rubbed his back. "But I don't think I can."

"You don't have to."

He relaxed slightly at that, the tension releasing a little bit.

Clary's hand slipped to the back of his neck, brushing the hat off his head and setting it down beside her. She then took his right hand, slowly prying it away from the wheel. It took some effort, but he eventually let go and let her put his hand down in his own lap. She reached around his back, doing the same with his left hand until he was just leaning against the wheel with his forehead.

With a deep breath, Clary grabbed his shoulders and slowly pulled him back. His body came without a fight, resting against the back of his seat, and he sunk in it, completely and totally deflated.

"We should go," Clary announced, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek. His face was turned towards her, and she gasped at what she saw in his eyes. "I don't think you need to be here right now."

He shook his head, closing his golden eyes as a single tear escaped. It slid down his cheek, touching the tips of Clary's fingers as it maneuvered its way down her hand. This wasn't happening right now, was it?

Jace Herondale was crying.

"This is where I grew up, Tiger," he said. His eyes moved from straight ahead to the right, where the ashes of a house seemed to remain. Clary followed his gaze, turning her whole body to look.

Now that her back was to him slightly, she wasn't ready for what he did. His arms went around her waist, and before she knew what was happening, her back was pressed to his chest. Her light weight made it extremely easy for him to lift her, and she just let him do what he needed. Everything in her body was suddenly electrified when his breath touched the back of her neck, brushing her hair back and forth as Jace rested his head on her shoulder when he had her situated between his legs. She didn't dare move, not sure what to do as he gripped her middle for dear life.

This was all so strange to her, foreign territory that she wasn't sure how to handle. It was like she was a captain of a ship on a new ocean, not sure whether to escape before it all came crashing down or explore the new world that she so much desired. Maybe she wanted to search, to look around and see what the new location had to offer, but she could end up in danger and sink in the end, suffocating with no escape.

"Don't move," Jace begged, his arms pulling her back against him. His chest rose and fell slowly against her back. She looked down at how her legs were in between his, her body forming to his perfectly, and she doubted that she would willingly leave any time soon. Luckily this truck was massive so there was plenty of room for her to squeeze him back.

"I'm not," she promised.

"I'm serious. Don't move. Don't look at me. Don't try anything. Just - just let me talk, okay?"

His voice was soft, low, and sad. She nodded, reaching downward placing her hands on his forearms, enjoying the simple embrace that he was giving her. Her thumb brushed over his skin, trying to comfort and calm him.

There was a silence, and Clary just waited. She was barely breathing as the time passed, as Jace didn't speak, didn't move. She wanted to encourage him, to do something that would help, but she didn't. She just sat there, and eventually, he dropped his head completely, his nose digging into the side of her neck as he breathed her in.

"Don't be mad at me for this," he said, and it was almost a begging question, like he hoped that she wouldn't. "But I seriously can't bring myself to say it. I want to tell you, and I hope you believe me. All I want is to get this off of my chest, but I can't seem to be able to."

"And that's okay."

_Thank God_, she thought to herself. A pressure against her chest was lifted when Jace admitted that he couldn't tell her. It was probably wrong of her, but she honestly didn't want to know. If he opened up to her, told her everything, then she'd have to do the same. He'd find out she was a Morgenstern, which she wasn't ready for that to be public knowledge, and he'd find out that Valentine was her father. He'd see her in a whole new light that wasn't a good one. He'd see her past, the trouble that came with her, and she could picture him leaving because of it.

No way. He wasn't even hers to hold and yet, here she was. Jace might have a past as well, one that was hard to talk about to him, but nothing he could do would make her leave. At least, that's how she always thought when he had his arms around her, his lips against her neck, his chest to her back, and his legs squeezing hers to keep her there. She didn't want to watch him walk away when he found out who she really was, so for as long as possible, she promised herself to keep Clarissa Morgenstern a secret. For as long as possible, she'd be Clary Fairchild.

"Are you sure?" He pulled back, his arms loosening enough so that he could turn to see her face. She twisted as well, looking into the golden eyes that held back small tears, making his eyes shine like the sun. "I promise I'll tell you eventually, but I just can't right now."

Her arm came up, draping over the back of his neck as she twisted a bit more. She wanted a better look at him, to really see him and not just the side. "Jace, you don't have to make promises to me."

He nodded, looking down for a split second before meeting her gaze again. "I just want you to know that I mean it when I say you'll know. Someday, I'll tell you and–"

Clary pressed her finger to his lips, effectively shutting his mouth. Her eyes couldn't stop from looking at those gorgeous, pink works of God for a moment though. "Can we just take this slow?" She pulled her hand away from his lips, pushing it into his hair of curls. "No promises. No commitments. Just play this day by day."

"Day by day?" Jace bit his lip. Then he closed his eyes, shaking his head and speaking without looking at her. "You don't want others to know."

He spoke it like a statement, one that he wasn't a fan of.

Clary scrambled for something to say, but unconsciously, that was true. She knew that she didn't want people to know about her and Jace, and it was obvious that bothered him. This was why having her around was bad. She didn't want people to know about her, about her relationships, or her friendships. She was an awful person. It. Was. Official.

She pulled at his hair gently and cupped her other hand under his cheek, shifting completely until she straddled his lap, her legs on either side of his pressing into the cushion of the seat.

"Are you mad about it?" she asked.

He shrugged, and it looked like he was trying to be. But his hands were still on her hips, gripping them like he was holding her there. "I just wish that you weren't so afraid of this."

She couldn't agree more, except maybe it was worse than he thought. "To be totally honest, you scare the shit out of me."

Jace's head whipped towards her, his eyes wide and shocked. Clary never gave him a chance to speak though, knowing exactly what he'd say. She didn't want to hear about how Simon was wrong, how Isabelle might have been telling the truth but he could prove himself and blah, blah, blah.

That wasn't what she wanted to hear right now, so she leaned down and kissed him before he could do anything about it. There was no reasoning, no explanation as to why she did it, but she did.

Her lips pressed against his and they were hard, unwilling for barely a second before he opened up for her. Once he did, everything came flooding back to her memory – the taste of mint and Jace, the butterflies in her stomach, the feeling in her chest as it tightened to the point it was hard to breathe, the heat coming off of him in waves and pulses, the pull that only made her scoot closer to him, and worst of all, that feeling that she'd never get enough if he didn't give her more.

The problem was, the more he gave her the more she wanted. It was like clenching her thirst with delicious food. It was delicious, but never fixed the problem she was having. Maybe it was because that problem didn't need fixing though.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize what was happening until she actually felt it. His hands skimmed up her sides, slowly taking the red blouse that Isabelle had given her with him. His hands gripped the hem of it, pulling it up, up, until it was over her head and tossed to the passenger seat. Their mouths immediately crashed together again in a fury that neither could control, and it was even better now that his hands were really on her skin. He seemed to explore every curve, every inch of her with his hands as his mouth dominated hers, mainly because she was so caught up in her feelings of what he was doing to actually keep up the battle.

His hands had slipped up her side, slowly causing her skin to prickle as she hovered over him. Her body was reacting at its own accord, and she didn't want it to stop. Her hands were in his golden curls, on his cheek, against his neck. It was all just back and forth as their mouths attacked each other's, but it eventually got too much. Clary had to pull away to catch her breath before she fainted, but Jace had other ideas.

His lips trailed down her neck, but it wasn't fast and hurried. If anything he took it so slow it was excruciating. He'd kiss a spot, lingering there for a moment, and she felt every little thing he did to her. He nipped at her skin, licked it, kissed it in every possible way and place. One of his hands brushed her hair away to one side, and she cocked her head to give him better access, her hands in his hair like they always were.

"Oh my God – Jace," she moaned when he lightly nipped at the spot where her neck and collar bone connected. It sent a shock, a physical shock through her whole body. Her legs squeezed his hips in response, causing a throaty groan from him.

She reached down, her hands detaching from his hair and slowly slid them down his upper body. He pulled back enough to look into her eyes, the assault on her neck and collarbones finally over but she really wished he didn't stop. The tingling feeling was still there, making her hands slightly unsteady. Either way, she was just having trouble concentrating on the task at hand.

Jace seemed to notice and leaned forward, kissing her once again. It wasn't rushed or hurried. It was more of a reassurance, a few brushes of their lips before he put his forehead against hers. "Why are you shaking?"

It took her a moment to catch her breath. "I told you, this scares me."

"Don't be scared." She looked into his eyes, wanting to do what he said, but the feeling was still under all of the erotic, excited emotions. His hand came up, cupping her chin lightly. It was soft so he wouldn't hurt the already bruised area again and slowly brushed his finger over her lips. "Just go with your instincts and stop thinking about it. I'm not going to hurt you, Clary."

That sparked something inside of her, something that she didn't know would snap. Her mouth was on his again immediately, taking him all in as he held her there, his hand on the back of her neck and the other on her lower back, pulling her closer. Those few words that he spoke, the way he sounded like he truly cared and wanted her to be comfortable around him made this all the more exciting. What they were doing wasn't enough though. She wanted more, needed more, and was determined to get more.

Her hands skimmed over his cheeks, down his throat, across his collarbones and covered pecks, until she finally reached the hem of his shirt as well. He was smiling against her mouth now, knowing exactly what she was thinking about doing. Just thinking about it, thinking about having his bare chest against hers, even with this stupid bra in the way, was enough for her to grip the hem tightly and started to pull. It was coming slowly, but not fast enough, but she froze when she heard a sudden sound blared through the cab.

Jace groaned as the music filled the front seat. Her hands froze as he stilled under her, dropping his head back and closing his eyes in frustration at the ringtone. "I'm so over the phone thing. I suggest we both destroy them so these blasted interruptions will cease."

"Then le-leave it."she choked, her voice low and throaty to her own ears. She was definitely having trouble with thinking and speaking at this moment.

He sighed. "I can't. It's Michael."

"Michael?"

Despite the smile on his lips, Jace nodded once in annoyance. "He's probably asking why I'm not at school. Today is a big day after all."

Clary suddenly reached back to their earlier conversation that morning, before she took him to the waterfall, before all this craziness happened in the past couple hours. "Not that I don't choose to keep up or anything, but why is today such a big day?"

Jace smirked up at her proudly, opening his eyes. She felt the heat flood her chest and face when he glanced down quickly. Her own gaze followed, realizing that she was just sitting on him in a bra, but his hands were adamant on keeping here there apparently, not losing their hold on her hips at all.

Eventually, he looked back up at her, the golden irises darker than she'd ever seen them. "The coach of the University of Florida is personally coming to the game tonight to scout me. He wants to see me play in person, even if I am still a junior. He's pretty interested and curious about me."

She couldn't stop her jaw from dropping, her eyes widening, and the sudden shut down of her vocal cords.

Even in her total lack of response, Jace just chuckled and lifted her, setting her in the seat beside him and handing her shirt back to her. While she dressed herself, kind of upset that their second little moment of the day was over, Jace grabbed his phone from his jeans and pulled it up to his ear.

"Hey, Michael."

Clary straightened her blouse out, trying to fix her hair with the mirror and stop the pink in her cheeks as Jace talked.

"I'll explain later... Yes, I'll be back by lunch… Don't worry about it, okay?"

Then he hung up. Simple as that. It was the shortest conversation in history.

Jace was quick about turning the truck back on and heading in the direction of school again. The fact that they were just kissing in his old driveway was kind of strange to Clary now that she thought about it, and she almost regretted it the more it popped into her mind. That wasn't what she was intending to feel like. She should feel happy, excited, but it was nothing but regret and fear of the future.

She really was an idiot. Who kisses a guy after telling him that she wants to keep whatever was happening a secret? In fact, she'd yet to even figure out what it was going on between them. He had his own idea, his own plan for what the past few displays had been, but she wasn't sure that she completely agreed with Jace. She knew that he was a guy, he was seventeen, and he was hormonal, meaning sex was a main priority for him. Did she really want to get mixed up with that? Actually, the better question is: Could she stop herself?

"I get that you don't want others to know," Jace said suddenly as they drove down an unfamiliar road. He wasn't looking at her, leaning back in his seat like he was earlier. "I'm not exactly the best… boyfriend material, but we have to make a deal if this isn't going public."

Despite all the warnings from her brain, she asked, "What kind of deal?"

He sighed, gripping the steering wheel tightly before relaxing again. "What I mean is: we can't really be around each other at school. If you're around me, I'll show it to everyone before I can stop myself. I won't be able to help it. I wish I could stop myself, but as of right now I just want to pull over and have my way with you."

_You're not the only one_, she wanted to say. Instead, she said, "Fine, we keep the–" she paused, not sure what to call it.

"Attraction," he offered.

She nodded in thanks. "Sure. Attraction at the Lightwood's. And you know, maybe it's best if we just really try to slow this down. We're kind of taking this faster than either of us can keep up with."

He sighed, his hand going back to playing with his lips again. What was it about that action that was so… captivating? "That's what I do. I don't take things slow, Clary, especially not with you. You have no idea how bad I want you."

"Can you try to start?"

He was quiet for a second before he glanced over at her, and she smiled when one part of his mouth quirked up. "Yes, I can try. No promises though."

She nodded, glancing away from his steady gaze. "Exactly. No promises, and no commitments."

* * *

As the day went on, Clary thought more and more about her many conversations with Jace. At the time, it sounded like a great idea. It was a way to keep a barrier up, for her to hide behind her walls and for him to do the same. Neither would have to do more than they wanted, and it had sounded like a great plan.

Not anymore.

No promises and no commitments.

She basically told him that he could do whatever the hell he wanted. Maybe that was actually a good thing, but she couldn't help but feel like that gave him an open invitation to get back together with Aline. Or worse, get with another girl. After what happened between them, she didn't know if she handle watching him kiss and hold anyone else. But he wasn't hers! She shouldn't be so protective about something that she wasn't allowed to have. They weren't dating, so there was no point in dwelling on the subject.

"You know you have to open your locker in order to get what's inside."

Clary looked up, meeting Simon's eyes as he leaned against the walls of lockers next to her. He was right, naturally, because for the last few minutes she'd just been leaning her head against the metal and wishing that she would've done things differently.

Why was that? Why was it that in the moment, she couldn't think of anything to say? But as soon as the moment passes, she starts to think about it more and more and then she comes up with all the different scenarios that would've been better and it's really just one massive headache. It seems pointless, yet she couldn't stop herself from thinking about it.

"Clary, what's wrong?." Simon stepped forward, touching her shoulder lightly. They were sunken, dropped, like she barely had the strength or will to even stand up straight. "Seriously, you're freaking me out right now. What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong with her," Isabelle said as she approached. Clary stood up, finally, closing her eyes and placing her fists against the locker. This wasn't what she wanted to deal with at this point. Isabelle put her back to the lockers on the other side of Clary, looking down at her nails. "She's never been better."

Simon didn't agree apparently. "Oh? Is that because you know her _soooo_ well now?"

"Well, she _does_ live with me."

"That was just poor judgment on her part."

"Can you two please drop this?" Clary asked, dropping her bag to the floor in frustration. She glanced back and forth between the two of them, but they were just glaring at each other instead of paying her any attention. "Honestly, I was having a better time dwelling in my own sorrows before you two came and brought all your banter along with it."

Simon looked at Clary for a split second before glaring back at Isabelle with all he had. "Yeah, she's so happy that she's snapping at both of us. That just proves how upset she is about something."

"She's an artist and reads into to many things," Isabelle pointed out. "If you didn't ask so many questions, she wouldn't have snapped at you."

"So this is my fault?" Simon asked incredulously, pointing to himself against his nerdy t-shirt.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Obviously. Maybe if you didn't ditch her for this afternoon, she'd be a bit happier about her life."

His mouth dropped open, and he looked at Clary for help. She wanted to help him, to defend him and tell him that nothing was his fault, that she was doing it all to herself at this point but she just focused on opening her locker instead. After avoiding his gaze for a few seconds, she heard him storm off, obviously angry and upset.

Great. Just another thing that she was going to be thinking about and feeling bad about.

"Finally. I thought he would never leave," Isabelle let out as she breathed. Simon was out of earshot, and she scooted a bit closer, dropping her voice as she looked around. "You and I need to talk."

Clary sighed. "Isabelle, I don't want to talk about Jace right now."

"But I want to know what happened," she whined. "Please, please, please?"

"Oh my god," Clary exclaimed, grabbing her art supplies and slamming her locker shut. Isabelle jumped slightly, not ready for the outburst and Clary instantly regretted it. "Sorry. But look, we basically had a moment, and now I'm upset. That's all there is to the story."

With that said and done, Clary pushed past her and headed towards her drawing and painting class. All she wanted at this point was to be distracted, to forget everything and let her hands make the images that she couldn't talk about. She wanted it out, out of her mind and head and onto something that she could examine and figure out.

"Wait a minute," Isabelle demanded when she finally caught up to Clary. How did she walk so fast in those heels? "You're saying that you're upset? Really?"

"Pretty much."

There a moment of silence as they walked before Isabelle finally, with an unbelievable tone, said, "You're unbelievable."

Clary swiveled on her heels, staring up at Isabelle with the significant height distance. "What am I supposed to do then? I don't let people in because it scares the shit out of me. The only person I've ever let in is Sebastian, and that's because he's been there through the worst with me and helped me through it. I just find Jace attractive, and that's what worries me. I don't want to open up to him just because he's hot. That doesn't mean I can trust him, but that I'm an idiot if I let him in. Is that good enough for you?"

"No," Isabelle answered honestly. "He obviously finds you extremely attractive, and you find him extremely attractive. That leads to physical stuff, and you know what? Sometimes, that attraction can lead to bigger and better things. Look at Romeo and Juliet."

"They died."

"And it became the greatest story of all time. See? Bigger and better things happened."

Clary wanted to slap her. She clenched her hands into fists in order to stop herself. "I'm not turning into some tragic love story. Besides, maybe I liked things the way they were before all this happened? Have you ever thought about that?" she asked.

She didn't even wait for an answer as she stormed away from Isabelle towards the art room. Without talking or making eye contact, she made her way to her seat and plopped down in the chair, her head in her hands as her bag of supplies fell to the floor.

It was some time before Isabelle finally took the seat next to her, placing a massive, empty, blank canvas on the table. "For the record, you hated the way things were before all this happened. You're family life wasn't exactly glamorous."

"Look, it's just not that easy dealing with everything that's going on," Clary finally admitted. "And Jace only complicates things."

"If it makes it any easier to accept him, Sebastian is okay with it."

Immediately, Clary pulled her head back and looked at Isabelle in nothing less than complete shock. Her hair was in her eyes and she was even too shocked to push it away. "He is?"

She nodded, pulling out some pencils and that stupid sheet of ideas from her bag. They still hadn't agreed on their freaking project. "He is. He actually likes Jace, believe it or not." Clary didn't believe it, not for one minute. "He said that Jace may be a dick sometimes, but he trusted my interpretation, and if I think it's a good idea, he does too."

The fact that Sebastian was so easily influenced by Isabelle was unnerving as Clary looked at her. Her own best friend was definitely getting preoccupied, and she finally figured out what Jace meant when he was talking about her influencing Isabelle. It wasn't a good feeling.

Nevertheless, she brushed her feelings of betrayal aside and kept her face as calm and unreadable as possible. "And how would you know this?"

"He called me when you decided not to answer due to my best friend's lips occupying yours while your phone was going off. I explained to him what happened, and he's not upset that you and Jace might get involved."

Sebastian wasn't upset? Clary wasn't really sure how to think about that, even if she kind of wished it was true. Believing it was the hard part. If this thing was one sided, if Sebastian didn't have a problem with Jace, then what really happened between them? What was it that Jace had against him?

But getting involved with Jace was a step that Clary wasn't ready for, even if Sebastian was completely okay with it. "Look, Isabelle," Clary started to say, shifting her legs under the table and looking forward. It was always easier to talk like this when she didn't actually look at the person. "Jace and I are just playing this by ear. It doesn't mean that we're together."

"And Jace is okay with that?" Isabelle asked, clearly not believing that he was.

For a moment, Clary almost said yes. In all actuality though, he wasn't. He tried to protest in the truck, but she never gave him a chance to. And even if he said that he could try to hide it so the world didn't know, it was blatantly obvious on his face that he wasn't too happy about the idea.

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders and grabbed a pencil, twirling it between her fingers. "I mean, he's kind of just dealing with it. I wouldn't say he's okay with it."

"I didn't think he would be. He's not the type of guy that's okay with what he wants running around with no attachments to him whatsoever."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Well, I hate to break it to him but I'm not going to be some dog on a leash."

"That's not what I mean." Clary glanced over at her, the question about the true meaning in her eyes. Isabelle sighed. "What I mean is he normally gives girls something to show that they're his – a necklace, a cheap ring from Wal-Mart, something like that. That way guys know to back off."

He hadn't done that for her yet. Granted it was just this morning that anything even happened, so she tried not to dwell on it. "Well, I'm sure he's smarter than to waste his money on me."

"That's not true. He–"

"Isabelle, stop." Clary held her hand up, glaring at the dark haired girl. "I know that you're only trying to help, that you think it could work, but I'm not so optimistic." She didn't realize how frustrated she'd been, how annoyed she was until she finally snapped like that, but she had to say it. And by now, she was sick of talking about it. "Can we please just get back to the project?"

Isabelle nodded, looking away briefly. "Sure. But by the way, you might want to fix your shirt. Next time you and Jace get up to some mischief, make sure that your clothes get put back on the way they came off."

With a confused expression, Clary glanced down and mentally snapped herself. Her shirt was inside out, and it had been like that all day.

"Dammit."

Had no one, including Jace, felt the need to point that back out?

Isabelle laughed, shaking her head slightly. "He must have really gotten to you, Clary. Don't even try to deny it for a second."

* * *

No promises and no commitments?

Jace sat in his Geometry class looking completely bored, his mind so far from the class that sometimes he'd forget he was even there. He and Alec just sat in the back in silence as Mrs. Penhallow talked away about shapes and shit, but he couldn't get that redhead out of his head.

Why had she said that? All he wanted to know was what she was so afraid of, and why she didn't want to actually make this real. It was almost as if she wanted this morning to not even be real, to just have a taste and then get over it. Well, he couldn't do that. All day he'd been thinking about her, everything about her, and it was starting to drive him mad. If she kept up this distance thing, he'd explode. For some reason, he needed her next to him, and seeing her in the halls with Simon or Isabelle knowing that he can't go to her for a fear of losing control was torturous!

His eyes moved from that white board that he wasn't paying attention to down to his notebook paper. He was drawing random doodles, all of them ugly looking and absolutely awful, but a certain one caught his eye as he looked down at it. It wasn't a picture, but a name.

"Clary?" He glanced up at Alec's voice, looking at the annoyed expression on his friends face as he stared at the paper. "Seriously?" he whispered. "Since when are you head over heels for a girl in one day?"

Jace frowned. "I'm not head over heels for her. What does that even mean?"

"You know exactly what it means, and–"

"Mr. Lightwood? Mr. Herondale?" Both boys looked up at the teacher as she glared at the two of them. They had the attention of the whole class, everyone turned in their seats to watch. "Care to share what you're so interested about since my class seems to be boring you a bit?"

Jace didn't really know what to say, how to say it, for once. No witty comments were coming as he sat there, hoping Alec would come up with something, but neither did. Luckily, as if God was on Jace's side, the school bell rang and students started packing up to head to their cars and buses. He was packing up his own stuff when Alec leaned over again.

"Jace, just don't be an idiot. She's not who you think she is," was all that he said before he left to head down to the training room for the game.

Today was going to be a long day. Alec had been shady all day, grumpy and mumbling stuff. And when Jace would ask him about it, his friend would just shrug I'm off and either change the subject or just walk away. It was starting to get annoying actually, and Jace didn't even know what he did!

Somehow, someway, he was able to blindly maneuver his way through the students in the halls. He wasn't paying a bit of attention to anyone as he walked, searching for the only person that he wanted to find. And as he walked, Alec's words kept pressing into the front part of his brain.

_She's not who you think she is._

Well obviously! He barely knew that chick, and he wasn't afraid to admit that. All he knew was that she was an artsy girl with a bad past who was an amazing kisser, so Alec's statement shouldn't have gotten to him, and he refused to let it, pushing it out of his mind as he rounded the Elective's Hallway.

There she was. Her back was to him as she and Isabelle walked towards the door, talking away with their hands. Out of a curiosity that he never really knew he had, he followed until he found himself outside in the parking lot, scanning the crowd to find out where they went.

It was at that moment that a buzz in his pocket pulled his eyes from the cars to his jeans, and he pulled it out quickly.

**Morgenstern and Verlac are here. They want to "talk" to you, NOW. Meet them down at the field in five minutes. Don't ask me why or how or what it's about, because I don't know. – Raphael.**

"Shit," Jace mumbled before shoving his phone back in his pocket. There was only a few things that either of them ever wanted, and none of the scenarios that ever followed were good.

"What's got you all flustered?"

Jace turned his head, looking at the guy standing next to him. He looked the nerd up and down with a disapproving look. "What the hell do you want, Lewis?"

Simon stepped up beside Jace, facing the parking lot and he noticed that the nerd was looking in the same direction as he was earlier: Right at Clary.

"Honestly, I just wanted to make sure that you weren't lusting after her like you've been all week," Simon said.

Jace laughed once without humor. "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about it if I am?"

He already knew that answer. Nothing. Simeon wouldn't do a damn thing because the kid is too much of a punk to stand up for himself. Especially after last year, he'd never even think of crossing Jace again.

"Just don't hurt her, or I'll kill you." The threat might have sounded real, but Jace wasn't really feeling scared as Simon walked away, heading towards the cars that Isabelle and Clary had now stopped at.

As much as he wanted to go over there, to talk to her, hold her, touch her, and more than anything, kiss her, he knew that there were bigger problems on campus. Morgenstern and Verlac were here, and he needed to deal with that before the game, and before Clary found out. He was not letting her near that bastard, even if it killed him.

He pulled out his phone as he walked in the opposite direction, heading towards the field. Students passed in a hurry, talking, wishing him good luck and girls blowing him kiss after kiss as they passed, but he was completely preoccupied with the phone in his ear.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Alec answered. "Yeah?"

"Morgenstern and Verlac are here. You know what to do."

"Again? Weren't they just here last week?"

"Yeah, and I don't want them thinking they can make a habit of coming here. So let's get this done quickly."

There was a pause before Alec finally agreed, and Jace took off running, bag bouncing against his back as he headed towards the field house, ready for a fight.

* * *

**TROUBLE! REVIEW! Tell me what you like, don't like, hated, loved, esc. And what about Sebastian and Jonathan? What are they going to be plotting? Reviews are what I live for, so let me know and have a wonderful day you beautiful people! Stay tuned!**


	11. Chapter 11 - Too much to handle

**Sorry it took so long to get back to you all. College soccer and classes tend to take up a lot of my time, but I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It was hard to right, even harder to think of.**

* * *

Jace picked up the pace once he met up with Alec, running down the sidewalk towards the football field. Both boys were ready to get this confrontation over with, considering what already happened. It caused a bad vibe for the team, for the players, and they didn't need that tonight.

Last week, when Jonathan and Sebastian decided to drive all the way to East for a 'chat', was different. It was just about being manly, proving who was strongest, and trying to make a point. It happened all the time. In fact, between Jace, Alec, Seb, and Jon, they were all guys and liked to show who was boss, and this happened more times than not on a Friday afternoon. It was at least a monthly thing, but not a weekly thing. And besides…

Clary made everything different, and knowing that Jonathan and Sebastian were so close to her physically was unsettling. It was bad enough that she actually trusted Sebastian, but the two being so close mentally and physically was terrifying. Jace didn't like that. He hated it.

"What do you think this is about?" Alec asked.

Jace shrugged as they slowed to a walk nearing the field. He wasn't about to suggest this was about Clary. "Hell if I know. Last week was a threat, so maybe they're finally going to go through with it."

Alec groaned, fixing his bag on his shoulder. "You should probably know now that I'm not fighting Morgenstern. I'm not planning on getting my ass kicked anytime soon, especially before tonight."

Ass kicked? Jace stopped in his tracks, staring at his friend with a shocked expression. "Who says we'd get our asses kicked?"

"I didn't say we," Alec said and pointed to himself. "I said me."

"Have a little faith, Alec."

He gave Jace a look of annoyance. "I have plenty of faith that Jonathan would kill me in a fight. Have you seen how fast his punches are?"

Jace rolled his eyes. "Then just stay behind me and try not to piss yourself," he said when he picked up the pace.

Both of them started jogging towards the field, dodging a few stray students that had yet to get on the buses or find their cars. It only took a few minutes before the field house was in view, along with two guys standing outside the visitor locker room, backs to the brick walled building and heads down.

The pair stopped at the top of the hill, Jace looking down on the two North kids. He could easily tell them apart, considering Jonathan's almost white hair could be seen from a mile away. Both were in just white t-shirts and jeans, like they were trying to hide the fact that they weren't from around here. Like that would happen, Jace mentally thought, considering Jonathan was known around the county as much as Jace was.

"Let's get this over with," Jace announced and he dropped all of his bags, Alec doing the same, until they were free of extra weight and started walking down the hill.

"It's about time," Jonathan looked up and said when he heard Jace and Alec approaching. He didn't move, didn't smile, and didn't change his posture at all when the pair stopped three feet away from them. He looked calm as ever, relaxed and at ease. "I was starting to think you were standing me up, Herondale."

Jace shrugged casually. "I never miss a date. But I don't remember asking for you presence in the first place."

The smile that formed on Jonathan's mouth was unsettling, and Jace glanced towards the quiet Sebastian, mainly out of curiosity.

But the boy wasn't meeting his gaze. Sebastian was staring at the floor, arms crossed over his chest with his head down. It wasn't like he was uncomfortable, but it looked like he couldn't care less about the fact that he was there. That was a first. Normally, he'd be as into a fight as Jace and Jonathan.

That was different from last week, and that fact was getting more annoying by the second. Last week they were all bantering, talking shit, threatening each other until Jonathan finally left because Daddy called. But now, it was like Jace vs. Jonathan with a quiet Sebastian on the side and an invisible Alec who was just trying not to get his balls ripped off.

"You didn't ask," Jonathan said, bringing Jace's golden gaze back to his dark one. "But I came because I heard some pretty disturbing news."

An eyebrow poked up in Jace's face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you do." Jonathan narrowed his eyes a bit.

"I don't," Jace answered with conviction. "But I do have a warning for you." He stepped forward a few steps, Alec muttering behind him until Jace finally stood a few inches in front of Jonathan, close enough to punch him if he had to. "Stay away from Clary, understand?"

Sebastian's head shot up, a warning look in his eyes. "Jace, I wouldn't–"

"You know Clary?" Jonathan's eyes were full of challenge now. It sparkled, and the pit of Jace's stomach dropped at that look.

Jace nodded slowly. "And whoever hurt her," he pointed between Sebastian and Jonathan, "which ever one of you did, I'll kick your ass." Then his finger landed on Sebastian permanently. "Especially if it was you."

"You don't know Clary if you think I'd actually lay a finger on her," Sebastian said. Now this was the Sebastian Jace was used to. The one who fought battles, argued, and didn't take shit.

Now things were getting interesting, but something still bothered Jace.

That was the second time someone told him that today, and he was getting sick of it. He knew that he didn't know Clary, not as much as he wanted to, but he was working on it. It wasn't something that happened overnight. If it killed him, he'd finally figure this girl out and be able to say he knew her better than anyone else. Even if he didn't have a good explanation as to why he wanted to do it, he'd still do it.

"All I know is someone hurt her, and my money is on you two."

Jonathan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Honestly, your money should be on me." Jace's eyes went right to Jonathan's and the other boy just nodded and one corner of his mouth tilted up in a calm smile. "I did it."

That broke him. Jace suddenly acted without any sensibility, and his fists was flying before he could even stop it. It had all the strength, the anger, the frustration, the annoyance, and the fight that he'd been holding in. There was a pop, his knuckles connecting with Jonathan's face before arms surrounded him, pulling him back in a tight grip.

"Jace! Stop it!" Alec yelled, yanking Jace away a few feet.

He didn't want to stop. He wanted to pound Jonathan's face into next week. Even if he broke his hand in the process, considering it was already throbbing. But one hit wasn't enough. Even if Jonathan suffered punch after punch, it wouldn't be enough for what he did to Clary.

Jonathan was dealing with his own issues. He had briefly touched his lip when he hit the brick wall behind him, looking down at the blood forming in the corner of his mouth. It only took a second of realization to hit him before he jumped off the wall to fight back. The fire was there, the same fire that Jace always had during fights. Both boys were ready to fight until unconsciousness.

But Sebastian was already there. To Jace's surprise, Verlac didn't let him even get close. Sebastian had tackled, actually tackled, Jonathan to the floor, twisting his right arm behind him until he was pinned. One knee dug into Jonathan's face, pushing him into the dirt and grass in a not so comfortable position.

"Calm the fuck down, mate," Sebastian growled, twisting Jonathan's arm at a slight angle. "You're being a bloody idiot right now."

Jonathan wrestled against the hold, his glare going back and forth between Jace and Sebastian. "Fuck off, man! He punched me."

"Because you deserved it!" Jace shot back, trying his best to shake Alec's grip. "Don't fucking touch her again!"

"Jace!" Sebastian's face turned towards him, and what Jace saw was shocking. He wasn't angry, even if his best friend just got the shit punched out of him, but he was more sympathetic. His voice sounded like he was pissed, but his eyes were different. "Threats against Clary's brother aren't going to get you anywhere."

Brother? Jace froze. "Shit, here we go," Alec muttered, and his arms fell from around Jace, letting him go.

No way. It wasn't possible. Jace couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't even react as he stood there, staring at Jonathan as he struggled against Sebastian's hold, cursing up a storm.

There wasn't a single resemblance, nothing that showed Clary and Jonathan could be related in any way, shape, or form. She had green eyes. He had black eyes. She was small. He was huge. She was pale. He was tan, in a white kind of way. She was a redhead. His was blond and pale. Not to mention she was a Fairchild and Jonathan was a Morgenstern.

"That's not possible," Jace muttered, still frozen in his place. "Her name is Clary Fairchild, not Morgenstern."

Sebastian sighed, shaking his head. "No, her mum's name was Jocelyn Fairchild before she married Valentine. When Clary was transferred here, she got the teachers to change it and play along with it so no one would know of her connection to Jonathan or her father. The last thing she wanted was to be associated with this wanker," and he emphasized the insult with a shove to Jonathan's shoulder, digging it into the ground.

"Thank God," Jonathan interrupted, and that only caused Sebastian's knee to push against him even harder. "I don't want her as a sister anyway. She can fuck off for all I care."

"Say another word about Clary, and I'll break your arm." To prove the point, Sebastian's grip on Jonathan's arm tightened. His jaw set in pain, refusing to show any other sign that it hurt.

Jace realized something that moment that he should've seen before. Sebastian wasn't near as awful as he originally thought, not that he'd ever admit it. Even after all the crap they've both put each other through, he was actually defending Clary, which is something Jace would've done in a heartbeat.

The fact that they were similar wasn't something Jace liked.

"Calm your tits, man," Jonathan muttered, the fight draining out of him. Eventually, after a few more threats and insults were passed between the two North boys, Sebastian got up and off of Jonathan, letting him rise to his feet. Jonathan brushed off his jeans casually, glaring at Seb. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in love with my sister, Sebby."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, commenting something back but Jace was so far gone that he didn't even hear them.

So much – no, too much information was just thrown at him, and he was having trouble processing all of it. It actually explained everything, why she was so sketchy, scarred, and messed up in the head, just as bad as he was. Her home life had to be hell living with people like Valentine and Jonathan Morgenstern. He could only imagine...

But he still couldn't get his mind around it. It was so far out of his reach, like a child trying to get a cup off the top shelf, that he couldn't even grasp the concept. She couldn't be a Morgenstern, someone that his family, his coach and current Legal Guardian, and Jace himself always hated. He was always taught that the Morgenstern's were scum. They were lying, cheating bastards that will screw you over, and it was proven true his whole life.

Including now. It didn't matter that he didn't even know Jonathan had a sister. She had lied. Clary lied about her life, right to his face, and fooled him right from the start. He knew that trust had to be earned, but seriously? She could've told him that she was the sister of someone Jace has hated since he was twelve. Mortal Enemies is the best way to describe Jace's relationship with Jonathan and Sebastian, and the girl he liked was related to one of them while being the best friend of the other.

This was so fucking complicated. Was she even worth it?

"Jace?" Alec's hand descended on Jace's shoulder, pulling him back to reality. His voice was low, quiet as Jonathan and Sebastian argued back and forth. "Are you okay?"

"Did you know?" he asked, tilting his head back slightly to look at his friend.

Alec nodded.

"How?"

Alec sighed, tightening his grip on Jace's shoulder. It wasn't reassuring. "Isabelle and Magnus could be part of a CSI team with all of their connections and investigation skills."

Jace closed his eyes, looking away from Alec to the floor. "So Izzy tried to get me and Clary together, knowing full well that she was a Morgenstern?"

"Looks that way."

"Jonathan, we need to get out of here," Sebastian announced, and Jace looked up. The boy's eyes weren't trained on him, but behind him, back towards the school where a mass of fifteen football players with bags were heading towards the four of them. Sebastian shook his head. "I don't fancy a fight against that."

"Being a pansy again, huh English boy?" Jonathan teased, glancing up at the football players walking towards them.

"Fine, you stay," Sebastian's said as he started to walk away. His shoulder brushed Jace as he passed, but neither acknowledged anything. Jace's eyes were still frozen on Jonathan, trying to comprehend it. "I'm not though. If you want to threaten Jace about Florida, you're on your own. I'm not getting my arse kicked for you though."

Jonathan, much to his obvious dislike, followed Sebastian past Jace and up the hill. "Fine! Let's go then. My dad's already pissed out of his pants."

And with that final comment, Jonathan took off after Sebastian, leaving a still stunned Jace and a quiet, sympathetic Alec to their thoughts.

Alec's grip on Jace's shoulder dropped, and he moved forwards until he could actually look him in the eye. "As much as I hate Clary, I'm sure she had a reason for this."

"I'm not so sure," Jace mumbled, looking towards the floor. "It's not like I can trust her to begin with. She didn't even tell me her name without lying to me. For all I know, she's not even a real artist."

Alec scoffed and shook his head. "Don't be such a baby about this. So she lied to you. Everyone lies."

Then, for the first time, Jace met Alec's blue gaze. "I don't."

There was no answer, and Jace knew that he got Alec that time. It was true. Not a single lie had ever come out of his mouth. Honesty was something his mother beat into him. She didn't tolerate liars, and he didn't either.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he silent reached down, pulling it out. "Yeah?"

"We just saw Jonathan and Sebastian leave the parking lot. What the hell happened this time?" Isabelle asked, sounding frantic and confused. Jace could also hear Clary in the background, asking all kinds of questions. Jace's grip on the phone tightened at the thought of her.

"I punched him," Jace said matter-of-factly.

"YOU PUNCHED HIM?"

"That's not important," he said. "Are you taking Clary home?"

Isabelle was quiet for a moment, and Jace could hear Clary's voice in the background. There were a few words exchanged, nothing very nice and lovey, before Isabelle finally spoke again. "Yeah, I am."

"I need to talk to her, _now_." He emphasized the now.

Isabelle sighed. "You know," she said, and it was obvious that she finally figured it out. It was more of an epiphany than a statement.

Jace's hand tightened on the phone and he glanced back towards the school where Jonathan and Sebastian were retreating at a run. "I do. And I'm not fucking happy about it."

* * *

"TOUCHDOWN! NUMBER 16, JACE HERONDALE!"

Jace dropped the football as he rolled onto his back, hopping back up to his feet. The safety had already got off of him, thank goodness. He had just caught a forty yard pass, thanks to Alec's amazing arm, and earned his fifth touchdown of the night. But that tackle was more painful than the others.

This was how it had been the whole night. Jace was on fire, for reasons he couldn't explain, not that he was complaining, and the other team was letting him have it with tackles. Maybe it was because he was so pissed off that he had to get this off of his chest. He'd definitely deliberately pissed the other team off a few times, for sure. Or maybe it was because playing and really focusing on the game was the only way to get Clary out of his head. Maybe it was because he wanted to prove to the Florida coach that he deserved to be there in two years, even if Jonathan made it too. Maybe hew as just trying to prove a point, although who that point was going to was a mystery.

"Well done," Alec said quietly as he slapped Jace on the back. The crowds were roaring, chanting his name as he started walking towards the sidelines, Alec right alongside him. "You're killing it tonight, man."

"Thanks," was all that Jace said before he started jogging. He didn't want to talk, and didn't want people to ask questions. All he wanted was water and to get back on the field as fast as possible. Words weren't going to help him at this point.

He went straight for the water bottles, grabbing his own and walking away from the rest of the team. The bleachers had plenty of screaming girls, yelling his name and begging for his attention, but he kept his head down. Now was not the time to deal with his fan girls.

With a grunt, he yanked his helmet off and dropped it on the track surrounding the field. Sweat poured down his face, falling to the floor and he just dumped the water on his head, trying this best to clear his mind and the taste of salt. He normally loved it, loved the feeling of getting tired, of working, of kicking ass and taking names, but all he wanted at this point was to get it over with. He wanted the game to be over, because Clary was waiting for him.

Isabelle had promised that Clary wasn't going to watch Sebastian play tonight, but that she'd be in her room after his game. And he liked that, even if he was angrier than anything with her. The last thing he wanted was to argue and fight with her, and he hoped that the other alternatives that kept popping in his head would work. There were plenty of ways to avoid a massive confrontation, and he prayed that she'd be just as willing.

"Jace!"

He looked up, meeting the eyes of Michael Wayland as he jogged over towards him. Since he was a good thirty yards from the rest of the team by now, it took a minute, but eventually his coach and legal guardian stood before him. One hand was on Jace's shoulder and the other was holding a clipboard of some kind.

"Don't ask," Jace muttered, looking away from the prying eyes.

"I actually have something to tell you." Michael dropped his hand and pulled his phone out, smiling the whole time. "He called me."

Jace glanced up. "He?"

"The coach from Florida. He had to leave to make it to the later quarter of the North game for Morgenstern, but he was impressed and very, very interested." Michael beamed as he spoke, pride shining in his eyes.

But Jace couldn't bring himself to be too excited. He just smiled weakly, nodding a bit. "That's great."

Michael barely noticed his quiet side. "So as you know, Jonathan is a year older than you and he's focusing on him right now. But the coach is extremely interested in you. More than I've seen of any of my players in a long time. You're lucky, son. Very lucky. Your parents would be proud, just like I am." He patted Jace's shoulder once, smiling before walking back towards the sidelines to coach.

Well, he did it. At least that was one less thing he had to worry about. His college was pretty much set, even if he wasn't sure that's where he wanted to go, especially if Jonathan would be there. That would be a disaster waiting to happen.

The crowd erupted into a loud uproar suddenly as the next kick off started. Jace stood upright, taking in the sight before him. Both bleachers, the home and away, were packed full with other people finding refuge on the hill and the rest lining the fences. The student sections were going crazy, waving flags and signs, and the cheerleaders were definitely going all out with their flips and stunts. One day earlier and Jace would've thought this moment would be perfect.

That changed quicker than he would've anticipated. Clary really did change his view on everything, even if she meant to or not. It wasn't the same. Just having people chant his name, wear his jersey, and cheer only for him wasn't enough anymore. He wanted her in the stands, even if she was Morgenstern. He wanted her yelling his name, wearing his jersey, smiling when he won the game, and cheering for him as he'd find her in the crowd. That's what he wanted now. Not this mess of people that he didn't even know.

He glanced towards the scoreboard. 42 – 31, East was winning with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. He sighed, wishing that it would just end so he could get out of here. He needed to get out of here. The noise was getting too much. The lights were too bright. The timing was too wrong.

With a sigh, he slowly walked back towards the bench, tugging his helmet off and ruffling his hair, earning a few sighs from cheerleaders as he walked by. Sadly, it didn't even bring a smile to his face. In fact, he barely even noticed.

He'd only notice one girl from now on, and he really needed to get to her. He needed to see her, to hold her, and it scared him that he needed her so bad. It shouldn't be like this, but it was whether he could stop it or not.

And he had a feeling that tonight, it wouldn't be stopped. It couldn't be stopped. The anger inside him was pushing him away from her, but he was fighting it with all he had. As long as the right answers came out of her mouth, they could fix this. They could work this out. He'd do anything to get her back, to get her to be who she wanted with him, to get her to give in.

He just hoped that she was really worth it.

* * *

Clary paced back and forth in her room at the Lightwood's. Her mind wasn't calming, neither was her body, so she just let them do what they needed. Her feet had been carrying her back and forth for about an hour. Her mind kept picturing Jace, how pissed he would be, how upset, how angry and all of it would be directed at her. She didn't want to picture that, but it was like she couldn't stop it.

When she glanced at the clock, she forced herself to stop all the pacing and attempt to relax. It was only nine o'clock, and Jace wouldn't be here for another hour or two. She had time to kill, and refused to waste it pacing like she had for the past hour since Isabelle left.

That's how she found herself on the window seat, music playing in the background. She pulled her knees up to her chest, balancing a sketchbook on them and letting the pencil slide across the paper with the music. It was the only way to let her mind go, to block it all out, and it was working. Clary didn't keep track of anything. Not the time. Not where she was or what she was doing. She was just kind of there, doing what she loved and not having to think about it.

And that's how she wished things always were. Sometimes, she felt like society always beat her to come out of her shell, to do what they asked, and she hated that. So what if she just wanted to stay in her room and draw sometimes? She likes that better than those damned football games. It was more peaceful, more tranquil than having hundreds of people yelling and chanting in her ear. It wasn't always that bad, but most of the time it was hell to pay.

The only times she ever went anymore was for Sebastian, and even then it would be hard to actually enjoy it. She liked to watch him play, watch him kick ass like she knew he could, but being surrounded by people that she couldn't care less about always killed that enjoyment. It would be more bearable with Isabelle of course, but there were reasons that Clary couldn't go to the game tonight.

Like Jace.

Her heart started pounding again, and the pencil stopped moving against the paper. All of the unshed energy came back in a rush of emotion and worry.

What was she supposed to say to him? He knew that Jonathan was her brother now. What else did he know? She wouldn't have put it past Jonathan to spill some secrets just to ruin her life. Jace probably knew more at this point than he ever bargained for. There were so many things that she never told him, never told anyone but Sebastian, and she didn't think she could even tell him if she wanted to. The words wouldn't form on her tongue, and she'd be as speechless as if he had kissed the breath out of her. This was just a disaster waiting to happen.

Even if she could tell him, how would he react? She couldn't imagine him being understanding about it at all. He wasn't that type. He'd have too many questions, too many demands to be understanding about her reasoning.

But that was her reasoning right there. She didn't tell anyone because she didn't want to be known as Jonathan's sister. She didn't want people to look at her differently, which is exactly what Jace would be doing. She'd no longer be Clary, or Tiger, or that girl that couldn't get her fucking emotions under control, but Jonathan Morgenstern's sister. She'd be Valentine's daughter.

She'd be the last thing that he wanted.

Shit. Now that it was nearing the time, would she be able to handle the rejection? She hadn't thought about that, and wasn't exactly confident that she'd handle it with grace and integrity. Something about Jace, something about the way he walked, talked, and acted drew her in more than any boy ever had, and she was going to lose it when she just got it that morning.

Regret started to push into her chest, making it hard to breathe and physically painful. She was an idiot for pushing him away the whole time, even if she was just protecting herself. He wasn't who she thought he was. He wasn't some cocky bastard that thought he was the shit, used women, and just wanted to show off to his friends. That morning was different with him. He was more broken than she'd ever expected. He was more fragile, more caring, more loving. He wasn't a jerk, and she found herself to actually care about him.

But if it didn't even make it twenty-four hours, maybe it wasn't meant to be in the first place.

That was stupid, illogical reasoning for all of this.

She glanced out the window just as a pair of headlights came down the massive drive. Her anticipation heightened instantly when the familiar black truck stopped in the circle drive and Jace stepped out of the passenger side. He had his football bag over his shoulder, and glanced back in the window, saying a few words before the truck started back down the drive, leaving him in front of the house.

This was it. He was here, and Clary was no closer to an explanation as she had been that afternoon. There were no words, no more help from Isabelle, no wise words from Simon, and now comfort from Sebastian to get her through this. It was just her, and she was ninety percent sure that she'd fail miserably.

Jace made his way towards the house, dropping his bag halfway before he started to sprint towards the door, and then he disappeared. He looked to be in a hurry, and Clary swallowed against the foreign feelings rising in her throat. What did that mean? Was running a good thing or a bad thing?

She felt his presence in the doorway before she actually saw him. Her door had been left open for that reason, because she wanted to know exactly when he got there for some reason. But even if she knew where he was, she still couldn't bring herself to look. Her gaze stayed on the front yard as he stepped inside, the door clicking closed behind him.

The music from her stereo was the only thing that filled the silence between the two of them. Neither spoke, moved, or even tried to start up a conversation. Clary just didn't know what to say, and she could only imagine what Jace was thinking at this point. He was probably just trying not to put his fist through a wall.

When her music was turned down to a softer tone, she knew that this was about to happen. She'd actually have to explain it to him, explain it all to him, and she wasn't ready for that. Her eyes closed, her body tensing when his footsteps started to approached her window.

This was it. All the anger was about to come out of him in a wave, and she wasn't sure she was prepared for it.

But words still didn't come out of either of them. Jace reached down, his palm against Clary's cheek as he pulled her gaze towards him, her eyes opening to meet his. The gold was curious, confused, and hurt, but before she could ask him about it, he leaned in and his lips were on hers.

Her eyes immediately shut against the sensation despite the shock, the feeling of his perfectness pressed against her mouth, the taste seeping in and taking over. She could taste the salt from his sweat, even if he showered, but the mint and Jace taste overpowered the rest of it. Even though all she wanted was to pull him harder against her, that want begging to take over, she didn't let it. He was going slow, both his hands cupping her cheeks softly as his lips lightly kissed hers, sometimes barely brushing and never deepening it. She had no right to take over. This was his show, and she'd have to wait and see what happens.

One of his hands left her cheek and grabbed her sketchpad, lightly placing it on the end of the window before he grabbed her hand, pulling her up to stand.

She did as he instructed without words, their lips never leaving each other's until she was on her tip-toes to kiss him back. Nothing about it was rushed like the other times. It was like he was trying to talk to her like this. Not with words but with the kiss.

She wasn't sure what she liked more at this point. The rougher, driven Jace that she had earlier that morning against a brick wall, the more emotional, needy Jace that she got at his old house, or the sweet, sentimental Jace that was kissing her breath away at the moment.

A better question though: Which one of those Jaces was the real one?

He pulled her back towards the bed when he released her, using only his hand in hers to guide them. Still, no words were spoken as he laid her down, taking the spot next to her. Both of them were on their sides, facing each other and when Jace didn't move to touch her or kiss her, she stayed put.

It felt like he looked at her for hours before he finally reached up, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. "This wasn't how I planned this to go."

"I definitely wasn't expecting you to touch me," Clary agreed. "I figured you'd never want to again."

Jace's face creased. "You mean just because you're a Morgenstern?" She nodded, closing her eyes when Jace's fingers ghosted over her lips. "That's not why I'm upset, or why I was pissed off. I can't be mad at you because of who your family is."

"So you are mad at me?"

He sighed, nodding once and looking solemn. "Yes."

Clary frowned, looking away from his gaze and down to his shirt. Instead of his football uniform, he was now in just a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that clung to ever part of him. Her, on the other hand, was in a pair of grey sweatpants that Sebastian had given to her last year and a sweatshirt, even if it wasn't all that cold outside. The air around her had made her freeze for the past few hours, waiting for Jace to scold her and let her have it, but now she was burning up with him so close and touching her.

Jace's hand dropped from her face, trailing down her throat until it started playing with the strings of her sweatshirt. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes," she answered honestly. But on the inside her heart was beating like a hummingbird's wings as she waited for the dreaded question.

"Why do you like me, Clary?"

Her eyes widened. "Wh – what?"

"Why do you like me?"

What kind of question was that? Who asks something like that after kissing somebody? Clary tried to come up with something, with a good explanation, and it wasn't like she couldn't, but she was just…

"Is it because of your family?" Jace asked. His eyes weren't on hers anymore, but following the path that his fingers made across her sweatshirt. "I can understand that. Jonathan and I are being recruited by the same school, and if they make me look bad by messing with my emotions by using you, he'll get in and I won't. It only makes sense that you would toy with me for your family's benefit."

Clary's mouth dropped open, shock etching across her face, but she couldn't think enough to form any words.

"In fact, Jonathan made it quite clear that he caused those bruises too." Jace touched her chin lightly, frowning down at it before going back to trailing with his hands. "And honestly, I wouldn't put it past him to force you into it. But then I kissed you about a minute ago, and I guess I was hoping that you'd be over it by now. That you'd just be so done with this act and I'd realize that it wasn't real. That you played me. I could handle that, and eventually my feelings for you would fade. At least, I hope they would. But you weren't. You kissed me back differently. And it was a good different."

She tried to open her mouth to speak, but Jace covered it with his finger, shaking his head at her.

"I'm just trying to figure out what you're feeling. If this," he gestured between the two of them, "is because you can't control yourself any more than I can, or if this is happening because your family put you up to it."

"They didn't," she finally said, almost blurting it out. He hand came up , gripping his and pulling it away from her mouth. But she didn't release it, and held it between the two of hers protectively. "Jace, I promise you that everything that happened between us today is because I wanted it just as much as you did."

"And then there's that other thing," he continued like she never even spoke. "You lied to me. Big time. Which only makes me feel like this was just a plot to make me fuck up tonight's game, which didn't happen by the way, but it all just points to some kind of plot against me. And it doesn't help that even if you try to explain it, I can't trust you with that. You've lied to me before, so what stops you from lying to me again?"

"Jace–"

"And it wasn't just you. I find out that my best friends lied to me, that everyone's been lying to me. Alec and Isabelle knew the whole time. They knew who you were and kept me in the dark." Jace closed his eyes, and Clary could see the pain across his face. His hand fell from her body, and he fell backwards, staring up at the ceiling. "I guess that today was the day I realized that I really am alone. I've always accepted that, but I never really thought about it until now."

Clary sat straight up, looking down at him. He looked to be so tense, so frustrated. She wished that she could smooth the lines on his face, release some stress in his shoulders, but she was scared to touch him. He seemed so unreachable. "You're not alone though. Alec and Isabelle–"

"Max is the only one that hasn't intentionally hurt me," he interrupted. "And that's because he doesn't know how to be anything but honest. Everyone else kept plenty of secrets," and then his eyes drifted to hers, and it was not a kind gaze, "you in particular."

She bit her lip, looking down at her hands that gripped his own. "None of us intentionally hurt you." Against all the warnings in her head, her hand finally reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair off his forehead. To her happy surprise, he didn't pull back, but he didn't register the movement either. "I never meant to do that."

"It still happened."

She nodded. "But Jace, for some reason hurting you is the last thing that I ever wanted. All afternoon I've been worried that you'd hate me, that you'd come in here, yelling and screaming and telling me to get out of your life. I don't know why it really scared me to lose you, but it still does."

His hand reached up and caught hers as it trailed down his cheek. "Is that what you thought was going to happen?"

Slowly, she nodded.

He sighed, pulling her hand down until he rested on his chest. His fingers danced across her palm, almost like he was doing it absentmindedly. "Clary, this thing happened so fast. You say that you don't want to lose me, but in reality, you never even had me. Not that in that sense. Yes, I like you, a lot actually, but we were never together, never dating, never a couple. In fact, we still aren't."

"I never said that we were."

Jace closed his eyes, and Clary took the time to study him like this. He might have looked awful compared to his normal-day smirk and cocky appearance, but she couldn't help but like him even more like this. Not many people had ever seen him like this. He was too headstrong to let that happen and yet here she was after a week.

After a few minutes, Jace's eyes opened again and he cocked his head to the side to really look at Clary. "That's my point," he said. "You never wanted us to be together in front of the world, and you don't want to lose me either. You're being nothing but contradictory, and it's hard to keep up with."

"I know, and I'm sorry," she breathed out. "I know that I'm complicated, and the best thing for you to do would be to act like today never happened."

Jace shot up instantly. He almost knocked Clary back in the process. "What?"

"Jace, I'm way too much baggage for anyone to handle. I never know what I want. All I do is bring trouble everywhere I go. My family is insane, not to mention brutal, unfriendly, and has major anger issues. Just like them, I can't even control myself most of the time, which is how I get myself into shitty situations. Everything about me is so messed up that others get caught in the crossfire, and –"

"It's better than everything about me," Jace interrupted, reaching forward and cupping Clary's cheeks with his palms. "You're not the only wrecking ball in this room, Tiger."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm worse than a wrecking ball. I'm pretty sure that my life is the equivalent of Armageddon meets World War Two meets the Wrath of Khan with a bit of The Expendables thrown in there for effect."

He rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean that I want to just forget you or let this die out. I don't know what the hell this is, but I don't like the idea of you walking away." He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. She took a deep breath. He smelled so good, even after the game. Like sunshine, spice, and something that was unique and only him. "You made an impression, Clary. More than any other girl."

Clary's eyes closed finally, and her hands came up, wrapping around his neck. Neither of them moved, and it felt like neither of them was even breathing. They just held each other, the music filling the background with a low hum as songs played. She didn't pay them any attention though, because she was still trying to figure out where this relationship went from here.

Before she had the chance to really think about it, Jace pulled back. It wasn't much, but enough to open her eyes and find a pool of gold looking down at her. "You're different for some reason," he said. His eyes danced between hers, making her heart race under his gaze. "There's something about you that really pisses me off because I have no idea what it is. Not even a clue or an idea. All I know is that it's there."

"And that's a good thing?"

"I don't know." Jace sighed, looking down momentarily.

She slipped one of her hands back towards his front, cupping his chin and pulling it back to her gaze. "Jace, what's the point of this?"

He recoiled slightly, but not far. "What do you mean? Like us?"

"I mean, is this," she gestured between the two of them after letting his chin go, "just two kids trying to figure out how to deal with forces out of their control?"

Jace's hands dropped from her cheeks. "If you're talking about mourning my parents, then no. This doesn't have to do with my family, your family, or anyone else but the two of us."

"Then what–"

"Is it so hard for you to accept the fact that I have feelings for you?"

"Yes!" Clary screamed out.

Her hands flew in the air in exasperation, but Jace caught her wrists quickly, throwing her on her back. Her head hit the pillows, looking up at the ceiling before Jace was there, hovering over her with a presence that she welcomed more than she should. His hands pinned her wrists down next to her head, and he slid his body on top of hers. The feeling that erupted was indescribable. Having his body pressing against hers completely and in every way possible was better than she imagined. All they needed was to ditch the clothing.

Jace peered down at her, his hair falling into his eyes and passed his forehead. With the light in the background, it made it look like a halo across his head. But all of him was shining, including his eyes.

His hands slid into hers, his fingers curling in between her digits and squeezing. "Clary, why is that so hard for you?"

She honestly didn't really know. Looking up at Jace made her want to give everything, to not hold back. How did someone she barely knew make her feel so much?

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, a sign of the frustration fighting inside her. When she looked up and met his gaze, she could see the softness and pain that he held inside.

"This is just complicated," she admitted, squeezing his hands as she spoke. "My brother hates you, which means my father will too. I don't have a mother to get on my side so it's just me. And you terrify me Jace, just because you make me feel so much without trying and I hate that."

"And you think I like the fact that I can't control myself?" He shot back. "It's not easy for me either. I've never…" he paused, closing his eyes and his head dropped to hers again. It was something about having him so close, so close that she could kiss him, that made her whole body flood with a want that was getting out of control. That kiss earlier wasn't enough. If her hands weren't locked in his, she'd have pulled him against her and kissed him by now. "I don't know how to do this." He took a deep breath, the air brushing against her cheeks and causing them to warm. "I don't know how to be that guy."

"I don't know how to be that girl either," Clary admitted.

Jace's mouth quirked up in the corner and he chuckled to himself.

She frowned. "What's so funny?"

"This isn't exactly the most stable… situation I've been in."

"Stability is overrated," Clary said quickly. Jace pulled back, looking down at her. It wasn't until a few seconds later, after she registered Jace's look and what she said that she actually got it. "What I mean is, sometimes, it's better to not know what's going to happen. Because when things always go right, it gets boring."

Jace laughed slightly, causing her to frown up at him. Was he making fun of her right now? Her hands were finally released when Jace propped himself on his elbows, lowering his clothed chest to hers. The relief was instant when his hard body settled against her, the strength and muscles that moved with his every breath.

His hand came up, stroking her cheek with a few fingertips. "For someone who has so much wrong in their life, you only want more?" He stopped when his fingers ran down her cheek to her jaw and settled on her bottom lip. "You've got to be the most confusing girl I've ever met."

"Is that a bad thing?"

He scanned her face, and slowly his mouth turned up on one corner, then the other, and it finally reached his eyes, turning into the brightest smile she'd ever witnessed. "Not at all, Tiger. Not at all."

* * *

**REVIEW! I've got to start thinking of ideas for the rest of this, and your opinions will help tremendously. The point is, I don't really know where to take it form here. Help me! Tell me what you want more of! **

**More Jace vs. Jonathan? **

**More Jace and Clary? **

**More Clary and Sebastian? **

**More Sebastian and Izzy? **

**More Izzy and Simon? **

**More Alec and Magnus? **

**More of WHAT? I DONT KNOW!  
**

**And stay tuned or more too. That's important. :)**


	12. Chapter 12 - Starting Point

**Here's a little bit of what you all asked for :) I couldn't put everything that each of you wanted in one chapter, so you'll have to stay tuned and wait for more.**

* * *

Jace awoke the next morning to the best smell in the world. It was something that every man craved every second of every day, whether he knew it or not. It was heavenly, delicious, and he smiled into the pillow just at the thought of it.

Bacon.

He didn't have to open his eyes to realize that Clary wasn't there. It was more shocking that she woke up before him than anything. Out of everyone, he was the early bird. Always has been. He was alone in her bed with nothing to hold on to, and even though he'd rather have her in his arms, it didn't bother him too bad. The idea of watching her with a spatula, smiling at him over her shoulder as she stood by the stove was enough to get him out of bed, but something caught his eye before he made it out the door.

Jace walked over to the wall on Clary's side of her bed in his sweatpants, looking at the giant, covered canvas. It was massive compared to most of the stuff he'd seen. Once he was squatting down on his heels in front of it, he pulled the cover off.

And gasped. His eyes were plastered to the picture before him. The hand painted picture was of none other than Sebastian Verlac. Everything about him was on point, and although it was incredibly good, Jace's fists clenched and he had to stop himself from throwing the very painting out the window. Clary would get so pissed if he did that, but the fact that she had this painting pissed Jace off. The fact that she was the one that must have painted it pissed him off even more.

He stood up, throwing the grey covering back over and storming out the door. His blood was boiling, although it shouldn't be. It was obvious that Clary admired Sebastian, but he didn't know that it would've been to that level. As he walked, he tried to calm himself down. The last thing he wanted was to fight with Clary now, especially when yesterday was enough of a whirlwind. Last night things had finally died down and relaxed. Did he really want to stir up trouble again because of her choice of friends?

No. He didn't. That was the last thing he wanted now, and he knew that. He'd gotten plenty of information out of her as they talked for hours, and he enjoyed that time with her. Nothing about it was too intimate, too attached, or too deep and stressful.

There was something about that idea that was so perfect to him. He liked the fact that he didn't have to kiss her all the time, even if he wanted to, and that he could talk to her about nothing and everything. After the mess that started the conversation, it had eventually turned to Jace lying next to Clary, side by side while he played with her hand on his chest. That was the only contact, and it was nice. Her voice and her soft touches wasn't enough, but he had a feeling that it would never be enough. Not until he got what he really wanted. Not until they–

"Stop it," he muttered to himself as he walked down the hall, following the smell of bacon.

The last thing he wanted was to force Clary into anything, even if he wanted nothing but to have his way with her exactly as he needed. It wasn't that he wasn't attracted to her, but the way she talked and spoke last night had him thinking.

It was amazing just listening to her, learning about her. Never in his seventeen years had he been so captivated about the trivial things, but everything about Clary was anything but trivial. Her favorite color. Her drawings. Her art. Her favorite movie. The music she listened to. He wanted to know it all, and last night was a pretty good start. There wasn't any kissing or anything past the first part, but it was complete without that needed bit.

As he neared the door to the kitchen on the first floor, he heard the most angelic voice singing through the door. Before entering, he stopped and leaned his ear against it, smirking the whole time.

_ "No there's no one else's eyes_

_ That can see into me,_

_ No one else's arms can lift,_

_ Lift me up so high._

_ You're love lifts me out of time_

_ And you know my heart by heart."_

He smiled at the lyrics, never having heard the song before but liking it already. Hell, she could sing the Barnie theme song and he'd still like it.

"I was wrong," a voice said from the other side of the door. It was deeper and manly, and very much belonging to Sebastian Verlac. "You're a better singer than I remember."

Jace's hands tightened at his sides, but he didn't enter. _Calm_, he said to himself, _stay calm_. He kept his ear against the door, his jaw tight, and his fists begging to connect with that British prick's face as he listened quietly.

Clary made some kind of giggle noise, something that Jace found incredibly adorable. "Well, Sebastian, you haven't asked me to sing for you lately. That's not my fault."

"Because you normally do it when you're drunk. I have to force it out of you. Unless…"

He paused, and Jace waited impatiently for the answer. But as it took a few seconds, one thought crossed his mind.

He was going to have a talk with Isabelle for inviting Sebastian back. No way in hell was he going to have Clary here with him, unless Jace knew every detail. No matter how much she trusted that British bastard, Jace didn't. Anyone who was willing friends with Jonathan Morgenstern didn't deserve someone like Clary. No more surprises.

Clary sighed loudly. "Okay, spit it out. Unless?..."

"You don't sing unless you're beyond happy," said Sebastian. "I haven't seen that side of you since before we were friends."

Even though he was frustrated and annoyed, Jace smiled at the thought. Clary didn't sing unless she was happy?

The sound of a plate hitting a table and sliding broke through Jace's question. "Yes well," Clary said, "things change Seb."

"Don't lie. I know exactly what it is that's got you glowing and bouncing off the walls. You fancy Jace way more than you're letting on, and you're not hiding it very well, love."

"Jace?"

He turned at the sound of his name coming from the direction of the staircase and found Isabelle walking towards him. She was already dressed in a tank top and shorts, hair down and make-up finished. As usual, she was beautiful.

She frowned as she fixed her last earring before dropping her hands. "What are you doing?" Her eyes danced back and forth between him and the door, a condescending look on her face.

"Eavesdropping," he answered in a quiet voice. His eyes drifted back towards the door momentarily before meeting Isabelle's again. "Want to join?"

"No," was the quick answer he got before she walked past him and flew the door open.

Clary's eyes immediately went to his when he stepped through after Isabelle. She was standing by the stove, fork in hand as her attention was momentarily turned from the bacon. Everything about her was beautiful, which shocked Jace that it was the first thing he thought. Even in sweatpants, a t-shirt, and her hair up in a bun, she was absolutely stunning.

She just smiled and winked at him as the door shut behind him before turning back to the food. For the split second that he didn't have everyone's attention, he assessed the situation.

Sebastian was at the bar, a pair of basketball shorts hanging from his hips as he sat on the stool. His upper body was bare, much like Jace. His black hair was a mess, much like Jace's too, and the similarities between the two of them were disturbing. Sebastian looked relaxed at least, especially when Isabelle took the stool next to him. He smiled at her as she touched his shoulder before going back to his bacon and pancakes.

"So how did he get here?" Jace asked as he sauntered in. His voice held more annoyance than he meant to show, but he couldn't help it at this point. Between the picture, the fact that he was here, shirtless and alone with Clary, and him just being Sebastian in general brought out dark parts of Jace without meaning to. Sebastian just pulled the worst out of him.

Isabelle glared at Jace when he stepped past the island bar towards the fridge, pulling it open roughly. "I asked him," Isabelle answered with just as much annoyance. "After the party, we both just came here and I asked him to stay. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes, I do," Jace shot back. "I don't want him here."

"Newsflash Jace: this isn't your home, so you can leave."

He slammed the door shut, twisting on his heels, ready to say something he'd more than likely regret. Isabelle might have been right, but there were plenty of things that he could say and shoot back with.

Clary was already there to stop him though. Her hands pressed against his abs, bare skin touching. There was enough force behind her touch that his back pressed against the fridge, and the many thoughts of what he could do if he had her pinned ran through his mind. God, he was such a teenager. He fought against the goose bumps that threatened to arise. His eyes drifted down, meeting a pair of green ones. "Jace, please don't do this."

"Do what?" Then his eyes drifted up to Sebastian, who was watching the pair with a keen eye. "All I want is for him to get out of here."

Clary slid her hands up his chest, wrapping them around the back of his neck. "Can't you two just try to get along?" Her voice was low and pleading, and her eyes even more so. She twisted her head back, looking at Sebastian. "Please?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I'm not the one with the ego issue. And you know I'd do anything for you, Clary." He finished the statement with a wink.

Jace's whole body tensed. It wasn't suggestive, sexual, or even flirty at all, but he couldn't help the anger that soared when Sebastian did it. And when Clary giggled and shook her head, Jace got even angrier. Everything about Clary's relationship with Sebastian was wrong, so wrong, and he hated every second that he had to endure it.

The warmth of Clary's touch disappeared when she went back to her cooking, flipping pancakes and bacon before handing him a plate. He smiled down at her, even though he was secretly shooting daggers in Sebastian's direction every chance he could. Once he had his food in hand, he took the seat next to Isabelle, mainly to put someone between him and Sebastian. And with the way Isabelle was chatting away, he wouldn't even have to contribute to the conversation.

"And you should've seen it Clary," Isabelle continued, taking small bites and nibbles from Sebastian's plate. "It was at least a forty yard pass, and Seb pretty much leaped like superman to intercept this thing. I've never heard the crowds scream so loud. The stadium was shaking."

"It wasn't that great," Seb interjected.

Jace rolled his eyes.

Isabelle leaned over and kissed Sebastian on the cheek, making Jace physically gag and look away. "It was, and you better believe that you're the best safety in the state. That was four interceptions in one night. That's got to be a record or something."

Jace looked up as Clary slid a plate onto the bar, standing opposite him as she started to cut her pancakes. She didn't pay him any attention though, much to his own hurt. Her eyes were on Sebastian, wide and surprised. "You really got four interceptions?"

Was it really that big of a deal? Jace gripped his fork tighter in his left hand. This was getting annoying. No one was talking about his many, many touchdowns, but Sebastian's interceptions got to be the topic of conversation. It wasn't even fair.

"And two touchdowns from them. He pretty much won the game from defense," Isabelle beamed.

Clary took a small bite of bacon and swallowed before saying, "Did you at least make my dad happy with that?"

It got real quiet when Sebastian didn't answer immediately, and Jace looked down the line to see his face. It wasn't playful or happy anymore. His dark eyes were looking right at Clary, and they looked pained and solemn. He ran his hand through his hair, looking like he was about to say something when he opened his mouth. But he just shut it and shook his head, looking down.

Clary was in front of him immediately, leaning across the table. "Seb, what did he do?"

"It's not what he did, but what he said. What said he would do." Sebastian kept his gaze on his plate and pushed the pancakes with his fork absentmindedly.

"What did he say?"

By now, Jace wanted to know what the hell Valentine said. All he needed was another reason to beat the shit out of the Morgenstern family. But still, Sebastian kept his gaze down, shaking his head.

Clary wasn't having it. She reached across the bar, grabbing Sebastian's chin and pulling it up towards her. Jace watched with a pained feeling in his chest as she cupped his cheek, her eyes searching Sebastian's. "Seb, what did he say after the game? Did he threaten you? Threaten Jonathan?"

"He threatened _you_," Sebastian answered in a low voice. Clary gasped, pulling her hand away and leaning back in shock.

Isabelle's eyes widened, looking between Sebastian and Clary. "Is that why you were upset last night?"

"You were upset and you didn't call me?" Clary looked hurt. "Seb, you should know better."

Sebastian shrugged, looking down towards the plate. "I knew you were with Jace and I didn't want to interrupt. Besides, there's nothing that could've been done. It would've only made you worried."

Clary rubbed her eyes, looking like she was struggling to comprehend what was happening. "Okay, point. But still, you could've said something. Besides, why did he threaten me anyway?"

"He said it before the game," Sebastian continued. "If I didn't play better starting yesterday, he said that he'd hurt you. The state championship means more to him now than ever, and with Jonathan on the loose, he's doing everything he can to keep me in line too. Although he didn't exactly sound too convincing about the threat, I don't like the idea of it to begin with. Just saying it means he's thinking it, and that worries me."

"All this for a winning season?" Clary scoffed, shaking her head. "My dad is pushing this to a whole new level."

"That's why your here," Isabelle interjected. Her hand slid across the table, touching Clary's. "You're going to stay here as long as you need."

Jace nodded and Clary's gaze was drawn to his. All of the questions were in her eyes: Are you sure? What do you think? Are you okay with this? What does this mean for us?

"And your not going anywhere," he announced with conviction, his eyes glued to hers. She still looked scared, but there was also thanks and relief in those green orbs. He wanted to reach other and pull her into him, to touch her, hug her, kiss her cheek and whisper how he'd protect her in her ear. But she was so far, so distant right now.

It was harder to deal with this than he thought. If this was how he was always going to be, always wanting to touch her and hold her, how was he supposed to keep his hands off of her at school?

Hell… how was he supposed to keep his hands off her in general?

* * *

Clary sat on her window seat, looking out over the back yard just as she did the night before. Her earlier clothes were gone, replaced with jean shorts and one of her V-necks that she used for painting. This time was different though. She wasn't waiting for Jace. Instead of waiting, she was watching. Watching him from high up.

For some reason, he stormed out of breakfast faster than she could stop him after a while. Granted, she knew that Sebastian got on his nerves, but she didn't think that it would be that bad. There was a small part of her that had hoped he'd go straight to her room, or at least find her after a while, but when lunch came around, he was still gone. And then afternoon came, and that's when she spotted him coming out of the forest behind the mansion.

He still didn't come inside though. He'd taken refuge under a lone tree on the outskirts of the forest, and hadn't moved for thirty minutes. He was lying on his back, staring up at nothing and Clary wanted nothing more than to be next him. There was something telling her that she couldn't though.

"Have you told him?" Clary shook her head, not bothering to turn around. Sebastian's voice was unique enough with the accent that she knew exactly who he was. "He's going to find out eventually."

That may have been true, but Clary wasn't about to just walk out and lay everything on the line.

"I will," he announced. Clary looked up as Sebastian shut her bedroom door behind him. Had she said all that out loud? He made his way over, sitting opposite of her as their backs faced the wall. She was looking right into his eyes, but the knowing look in was getting to much.

She sighed, looking back out the window towards Jace. "Maybe I don't want him to know."

"I don't care. He deserves to know why you're being distant with him, why you're distant with everybody."

Clary pulled her knees to her chest, closing her eyes. Her arms pulled her legs closer until her chin rested between the tops of her knees. "I'm not like that with you." She glanced up, meeting Sebastian's gaze. He looked sad and worried. "Am I?"

He sighed. "It's always been different with us. You know that. Our relationship is nothing like you and Jace. I know everything, and he should at least get some idea if this is going to be fair to him."

"But it's not all that different in that aspect. I haven't done anything with Jace that I haven't done with you." As soon as she said it, she almost regretted it. It was all true though. Nothing had gotten so far with Jace that she hadn't done it with Sebastian. There was nothing physical happening that she hadn't done with Sebastian when she was drunk. The only difference was the feelings. No matter how much she was going to deny it, she had feelings for Jace. Feelings that she didn't have with Sebastian.

Those feelings were growing at a rapid rate too. It was faster than she was really prepared for, and she wasn't afraid to admit that. Even if she and Jace's feelings were completely mutual, and maybe they were, she was still hesitant about the whole situation.

The quietness of the room was getting to Clary and she glanced up. Sebastian was looking at her with a look that a scientist would use to study a specimen. His eyes were slit as he watched her. "Sooooo, you two haven't–"

"No." She blushed, knowing exactly what he was referring to. "First of all, it's been one day. And second, I'm not that girl that just lets it go to any guy that comes knocking. Jace is persistent, but he's not getting that anytime soon. I'm not that girl."

"Neither is Isabelle," he mumbled, which earned him a slap in the arm. Sebastian jumped, but the smile was growing on his face as the mood lightened.

"That's my friend's cherry you're trying to pop." Clary glared at him with all she had, which wasn't much when it came to Sebastian. She struggled to even act mad at him most of the time. "And if you do, I don't want to hear about it."

Sebastian laughed, shaking his head at her. "It's not getting that far. Besides, I seriously doubt that Isabelle Lightwood is a virgin." He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "And I can't believe that you think she is either."

Clary shrugged. "Maybe I'm being optimistic."

"Coming from the Queen of Pessimism?"

"I'm not pessimistic. I'm a realist," she answered plainly, earning an eye roll form her best friend. "Hey, I can be happy and hopeful."

"Happy, yes. Hopeful, no. Not in my experience."

"You caught me at a bad time, and that's not–"

Clary's voice was cut off when her bedroom door opened, revealing Magnus in a suit as he stepped in. He stopped in the doorway like a gentlemen, bowing slightly before addressing Clary. "Sorry to interrupt, but Isabelle was wondering if she could steal Sebastian away for a while."

"Is this for what I think it's for?" Sebastian asked, not moving from his spot on the window seat.

Magnus shrugged. "Something about shopping." And then he turned and walked away, although Clary was pretty sure she heard him mumble something like "wish I could go" under his breath, but she couldn't be sure.

"Clary?" She looked up at her friend, her lifeline, her savior as he rose to his feet. He really was like her dark knight. Always had been. His hands gripped her own, pulling them up to his lips before he kissed each of her knuckles. "I'm not just joshing you, by the way."

She raised her eyebrows. "About what?"

"Jace," he answered, dropping her hands back down. He shoved his hands in his jeans when he started to slowly back towards the door. "He truly needs to know. Just give him some insight. You don't have to tell him your whole life story, but if you won't tell him, I will."

"But Seb–"

"None of that." He pointed a finger at him as his other hand balled in his jeans pocket. His body stopped in the doorway, giving her the stern look of that of an older brother. "Get it done by the time I get back from this torture chamber known as the mall in America. Otherwise, I'm not going to be happy with you, love."

Then he was gone, and Clary was alone. Her eyes glanced back at Jace out the window for a split second, and since he hadn't moved from his spot under the tree, she bounced up from her seat.

If Sebastian is this determined to get Jace to know, maybe it was best if she really did tell him. Jace hadn't done anything to really prove to her that she could trust him, but he hadn't done anything to prove that she couldn't either. She trusted Sebastian's judgment, his assessments of the situations, and maybe this was for the best. Maybe confiding in someone else would give her a new perspective, and even help.

So with her sketchpad in hand, pencil in the other, she jumped out the door, taking her time to catch her breath as she walked to the scariest moment of her life.

Hopefully she'll just be able to go through with it. Everything about her wanted to open up to Jace except for that stupid voice in her head that told her not to trust him. It was a constant battle between her lustful, primal side and her protective, worried side. Her arms pulled the sketchpad against her chest, hugging it like a lifeline. She didn't want to back out. Scratch that, she couldn't. Sebastian would tell Jace, or Clary would tell Jace. At this point, she didn't have a choice.

The late summer sun was shining down on her, warming her skin as she walked through the backyard garden. Each turn and twist brought her closer to the exit, that brought her closer to Jace, that brought her closer to letting it all out. Her heart was pounding in her ears at the thought of what she was about to do.

And it sped up even more when her sights were set on Jace when she exited the garden. He still lied in the grass under the tree, and up close like this, the way he lied there without a care in the world and let the sun shine on his golden skinned, it made Clary itched to sketch him. His eyes were closed, arms behind his head as his abs and chest glistened with what looked like a layer of sweat. Maybe he'd been running or something.

All she knew was that she couldn't disturb him. Not in that sense, but the fact that she didn't want to. She'd never seen him so… relaxed. Even that morning when she woke, he didn't look like this. His face was buried in the pillow and hidden from her earlier, but now that she could see him, it was like seeing a totally different part of him. The peacefulness coming off of him drew her closer at a slow rate, but not to the point that she'd wake him.

Instead, she sat down a few feet from him down by his feet. She put her sketch pad in her lap. She flipped to an empty page, her body calming down bit by bit, and started tracing lines on either paper with her pencil.

Sketching Jace wasn't like sketching anyone else. Other people seemed to show all their emotions all the time, even those that thought they could hide it. Sebastian especially showed it, whether he wanted to or not. Drawing him in detail was easy and always has been. Every little part of him was out in the open all the time. There were no secrets or hidden emotions. Sebastian laid it all out on the line.

Jace kept it all bottled up inside though. Not all of it, but the important pieces were hidden behind those golden eyes. He might have spoken the truth, but for some reason he didn't show the truth. There was a difference between speaking it and showing it. Every time she tried to draw Jace, he'd look right but the emotions of the drawing would be wrong, and it was driving her insane.

"MEOW!"

Clary jumped at the sound of a screeching cat sprinting through the trees in the nearby forest, just as Jace stirred. Unlike her and her hand to her chest, he just covered his face with his hands, growling into them.

"I'm going to kill that fucking cat," he mumbled into his hands.

Clary nodded, looking into the forest as the furry animal disappeared at full speed. "Me too."

Jace tensed at the sound of her voice, his abs and arms visibly contracting before her eyes. His hands pulled away from his face and he relaxed when their eyes met. Clary smiled, putting her sketchpad with her half-finished sketch of him on the grass, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Hi," he smiled, propping himself up on one of his elbows. His hair was matted to his forehead and he pushed his hand through it, messing it up to the point it was actually a turn on. "How's your sketch?"

Clary glanced down to the sketchbook before shrugging. The picture looked like Jace, but it didn't feel like Jace. She cocked her head to the side, getting a better angle. "Complicated."

"You've been out here for ten minutes. I didn't expect it to be finished."

"So you weren't asleep?" she asked, looking up and meeting his gaze again.

He shook his head. His eyes drifted from hers to the house momentarily, giving her a perfect view of his chiseled to perfection jaw line. "I saw you and Sebastian talking earlier," he said. "What was that about?"

She didn't miss the venom in his voice when he said her friend's name, but she decided to ignore it instead. "He seems to think I haven't been totally honest with you."

With that out in the open, Clary felt a bit of pressure leave her chest. Jace's head whipped towards her though, making her nervous all over again as he sat up straighter, pulling his own legs into his chest like her current position. "And what do you think about that?"

"I don't really know, but I do know that it's one hundred percent true." Clary, against her own fear and terrified feeling, fought with herself as she grabbed her sketchbook. Jace stayed quiet as she moved. She was standing and taking the seat beside him as he watched her. Her hands gripped the book tightly until she handed it to him without a word.

He took it from her, not opening it or even looking at it. His eyes were on her. "What's this?"

Clary stared at the book before meeting his gaze. "The start of a much needed explanation."

* * *

Drawings. There were so many! Page after page had a hand drawn picture after picture, and Jace couldn't make sense of any of it. Each page seemed to have so many answers that he was looking for, but it was so complicated that it only caused more questions.

"This is your mother?" He asked, pointing to the picture of a woman that looked a lot like Clary. Only she was older. Her hair was longer. She wore a red dress in the drawing and was smiling in the distance at something. And she was taller, much taller.

Clary nodded, snuggling back into his chest even more. They had positioned themselves against the tree, Jace leaning back into it with Clary between his legs as she leaned into him. The sketchbook was placed on her lap so they could both see, and even though she wanted him to look at it, he could feel her tense, relax, and change her breathing depending on which picture they were looking at.

Her hand reached out, tracing the page with her fingertips. "It is. I drew it two years ago from a picture I used to keep under my bed." She paused for a moment. "My father burned it, but luckily he didn't know I made my own drawing copy."

Jace sucked a breath in. "Can I ask why he burned it? Or is that off limits right now?"

Her hand stopped on the page, and Jace was expecting a no, a maybe, a later, but what he got was the whole story.

"It happened when I was nine. My mother was an artist, which is where I got my skills from. When I was little, she used to teach me how to paint and draw. How to make things look real. How to make them look abstract. How to put hidden meanings in the pictures and make the observer really think. She's the reason that I'm so good at it, and for the longest time, she was my rock that I leaned against.

"Then, she went away. It wasn't for a long time, just a weekend, but I remember it so well because nothing was the same afterwards. She had an art opening up in New York, which isn't a short trip. I don't know much of what happened, but apparently my father caught her… having an affair."

Jace's arms tightened around Clary's body, pulling her closer into him. He rested his head on her shoulder, trying his best to comfort her. "You say it like you don't think it's completely true."

"That's because I never got the whole story. And it didn't make since. My mother left when I was twelve, three years after the trip to New York. I found all this out last year when Jonathan started to go from the best brother in the world to Satan. He lashed out at me one time, slapping me, telling me that I was just like our skanky mother." She shivered at the thought, shaking his body along with her. It was horrible watching her like this, watching her struggle with it. "He told me what she did, but a part of me never believed it. I refused to. She wasn't the type of woman that would do that. She was kind, caring, always looking out for me, protecting me, and she never had a reason for cheating on my father. Before all of that happened, before all the alcohol and heartbreak, he was just as loving as she was. But the alcohol turned him into an abusive prick."

Against his will, Jace could feel the anger boiling inside him. "Valentine hit you?"

Clary nodded, looking away from the spot where Jace's chin lay. "Only when he was drunk would he do it, and now that he's off the all the alcohol it was better. It's just that he doesn't even care anymore at this point. He doesn't even care his fifteen-year-old daughter isn't living at home." She wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself. Jace positioned his arms so he covered hers, his thumbs rubbing circles on whatever skin he could. "His only focus is beating Michael Wayland for some damned reason."

Now that was a story Jace knew all too well. He hesitated telling Clary though. The conflict between Michael and Valentine went all the way back to their high school years, and Clary had enough questions that weren't answered. He didn't need to add to the confusion of why Valentine is even worse than he seems.

Jace was just happy that she wasn't there anymore. She didn't have to deal with her father or her brother, and Jace could have her whenever he wanted to. He could hold her all day if he wanted to. Just the thought made him smile.

And she noticed it, turning her head to look at him. "What?"

"I was just thinking. If your dad would've been a good parent, we'd never be together. You'd probably still be a North, and we wouldn't be doing this right now." He smiled at her, turned his head to plant a kiss just behind her ear. "And that would be a shame, because I like this."

Clary snuggled back into him even more, which he welcomed with open arms. "We would've found each other at a drunken part eventually. Sebastian and Izzy would've played matchmaker sometime before you graduated," she smiled, leaning back to kiss his cheek. He wanted more, so much more, but he let her pull away and situated herself again, flipping through the pages of the sketchbook.

A few other random pictures came up next. Clary would point at each, explaining it in a few sentences, and then she'd move on. Some drawings were of places. Others were of people. Others were abstract ideas that she said described her feelings. He tried his best to understand, to figure out what the "hidden meanings" were, but this definitely wasn't his best aspect. He was so confused when it came to art.

"This is the more recent stuff," Clary explained, flipping another page. It was a black and white drawing of Max, smiling like the little nugget he was. She cocked her head to the side, touchgin the picture. "He's kind of the cutest thing ever."

Jace chucked. "Yeah, he is."

"He brings out the best of you, you know."

"And he really likes you too, you know," he smiled, kissing her shoulder lightly. Goosebumps formed all the way down her arm. "Hopefully not as much as I do, otherwise I'll have some competition for your affection. Since I'm selfish, Max would only get heart broken in that process."

"Yeah, yeah, like there's any competition in the first place." Clary flipped the page as Jace laughed behind her. The relief of hearing her say that was more gratifying than she could even imagine.

The next picture was the most… shocking, by far. He felt Clary stiffen in front of him, probably waiting for his reaction.

The drawing was of him from a side view. He was suspended in the air, golden wings coming out of his back. His pants were a pure white and his bare chest was displayed, and he was shocked at how much it really did look like him. A giant sword was gripped in both his hands, and he a golden aura shone around him. He was pretty damn proud of how well Clary drew him.

The drawing was also of Sebastian though. He, like Jace, had a massive sword in his hands, but wasn't drawn like an angel. He was drawn like a knight, metal armor covering his torso, arms, and legs. Their facial expressions were both that of warriors as their swords clashed in the middle of the paper. It was like they were fighting each other, which was the most accurate description of their true relationship.

"This is how I picture you two now." Clary pointed to the knight Sebastian. "He's always been there for me like a knight, fighting battles that I can't win, protecting me. Whether you like him or not, Jace, he's the reason that I'm still here. I had nobody, no family, no friends, and he came along and pulled me out of the rut I was in." Then she pointed to Jace, and he waited patiently for her explanation. "But you…" she paused, dropping her head back. It landed on his left shoulder, and he brushed her hair back with his hand, getting a good view of her face. "I don't even know."

"I think you do," he whispered. He was trying his best to think like an artist. "There's a reason that I'm drawn like that, and you just don't know how to explain it."

"It's pretty obvious," she mumbled. She lifted her head again, looking back down at the drawing in her lap. "You're like an angel, my angel, but that's not the only way I think of you."

A cloud suddenly moved in front of the sun above them, covering the area around them in a cool shade. Jace welcomed it, finally cooling off from his earlier run. "How else do you think of me?" he asked her.

She giggled when he brushed their cheeks together, but didn't pull away. "Do you seriously have to ask that?"

"Well, yesterday wasn't exactly a clear picture. In fact, this whole week was a bit fuzzy. That's why we need to talk about this now."

"Jace?"

"Hmm?"

Clary shifted. The sketchbook somehow found its way onto the grass, and then Jace's eyes fluttered closed when Clary's lips descended on his. His hands hugged her middle tightly, keeping her as close as possible. As if she knew, her arms did the same, wrapping around his neck and pulling him even tighter to her and away from the tree that was digging into his back this whole time.

The kiss tasted of salt, mainly from the dried sweat from Jace's run, but luckily she didn't seem to mind. It was slow going, both of them taking their time with each other. She just kept her lips in synch with his, until one of her arms unhooked from around his neck. He sighed into her mouth when she made a path with the tip of her finger from his ear, down to his jaw, down to his chin, and back up before she pulled away.

He opened his eyes slowly, meeting her green gaze that was as mind-blowing as ever. Her finger still made slow paths along his face, and she made it travel downward. Her fingers danced across his chest, her eyes following the path. His eyes stayed on her though, mesmerized at her concentration and the beauty of it all.

Her palm pressed against his chest, just over his heart. He knew that she could feel it pounding against her palm at the way she smiled at him. "I don't want others to think you're available."

Jace's arms loosened enough so he could grab her hips. The shirt she was wearing had ridden up a bit, and he gripped nothing but skin. Her body relaxed into him when he started to massage the skin there, and he smiled at her when her eyes involuntarily closed.

He leaned forward, kissing her lips softly once, then her chin, her cheek, just above her eyes, her temple, and stopped at her ear. "I'd have to be taken if I wasn't available," he whispered.

Her body shivered against him. Her hands moved to his shoulders, digging into them. "That's – that's kind of the point."

Just because she was already struggling, Jace decided to make it even harder for her. He bit her earlobe lightly, just enough so she could feel it, and pulled.

The reaction was instant. Clary apparently couldn't take it anymore. Both her hands wrapped in his hair, pulling him back and she didn't even give him time to think before she attacked his mouth this time. It wasn't slow, and gentle, but God, it was heavenly.

But they were outside, against a tree, just outside the house where anyone could see them like this. Jace wanted to continue this for the rest of his life at this point, but he knew that they couldn't. Not to mention, Max had a soccer game that Jace promised him he'd go to.

"Clary," he said against her mouth, "As much as I want to continue this, I do have to go to Max's soccer game." She shut him up by kissing him harder, but he was still able to force the rest of the words out eventually. "Want to come with me?"

She nodded, and Jace doubted she was even paying any attention to his actual words. He laughed at the thought. If this was how it was going to be, he was definitely more than okay with that. Even if Izzy said it would never happen, even if he didn't think he deserved a girl like Clary, even though both of them were so messed up in general, they were together. Who knew? Maybe they might be the healing each other needs for their messed up pasts.

The time would come that he'd have to open up to her too. He failed the first time, not being strong enough. It wasn't like he couldn't talk about it, because he had before with Nana. She was the only one that truly knew everything, and that was because she was family. She'd love him no matter what, and he knew that. At least, that's what family is supposed to do, although that's not always the case.

It was just scary. Clary might think differently of him once she found out. No, she would think differently of him. It wasn't something that was pleasant and kind, something that he wanted anyone to know. And he just got her, finally, and yet he'd have to risk losing her so early.

He kissed her harder thinking about it, thinking about the fact he might not have her forever once she really found out what he did.

He'd deal with that when the time comes.

* * *

**Lyrics for Heart By Heart belong to Demi Lovato.**

**And the Characters belong to Cassandra Clare, in case I forgot to put that in here somewhere.**

**Let me know what you think! REVIEWS make my life easier and gets you better chapters faster. It's only logical. I need ideas for good ways to bring Clary's family into the story without rushing anything, so tell me what sounds good to you. It'll help me and your idea might just get put in :O  
**

**So stayed tuned beautiful people :)**


	13. Chapter 13 - Lesson Number One

**Just to answer a few questions: Clary's story wasn't too dramatic because she didn't tell Jace everything. Mainly because Clary doesn't know much to begin with. She's pretty clueless honestly, but this chapter will explain a bit as to why she's weary about her past. You won't get all of it, but you'll get little bits and pieces here and there.**

**Yes, I will give you some of Jace's story this time, but nothing major. That's going to be saved for a later date. Just be patient.**

**And finally: Here's the next chapter!**

* * *

_"Dad, stop it!" Clary screamed as Jonathan was flung against the wall for the third time. It shook with the force, pictures falling from their nails that kept them held up. A few crashed around her brother when he slid to the floor, eyes shut in pain. She watched in horror, completely useless, as he father grabbed her brother by the throat, hoisting him up so high that his feet didn't touch the floor. "Please, Daddy, stop it!"_

_ "Shut up!" he shot back, slamming Jonathan against the wall. The TV fell in the process, shattering to the floor at the right of Valentine's feet. At this rate, he'd destroy the entire house._

_ Her brother screamed out in pain, his face twisting and eyes closing. There was nothing she could do, nothing either of them could do when Valentine went on one of his rampages. This Saturday night was no different either. In fact, it was getting worse and worse as the time passed. _

_ She wished her mother was still here. Jocelyn always had a way of calming Valentine down, making him think rationally. Even in his worst times, she could turn him around and make him see reason. Clary never understood her true effect on her father, but she wished that her mother's talent could've been genetically passed. Jonathan was going through so much pain without of it._

_ She turned her head to her right, finding a lamp on one of the wall tables. Clary looked back towards her "family" that wasn't paying her any attention, and gripped the lamp in her small, young hands. _

_ Her heart pounded with fear as she slowly rose to her feet. Jonathan was kicking out, turning purple, and gripping Valentine's hands, trying his best to break free from the death grip around his throat. _

_ "You're only getting what you deserve," Valentine growled out. Jonathan kicked out, earning nothing but a slap to the face with Valentine's free hand. "Both of you deserve the pain after ruining my life. Everything was fine, perfect until you came in and destroyed it all."_

_ Jonathan laughed, despite the uncomfortable position and the obvious fact he was struggling to breathe. Clary's eyes widened at him. "We ruined your life? If you would've treated Mom like you should have, she'd still be here. It's your own fault that your children hate you and Mom left you."_

_ "You'll regret that, boy." Then, Valentine threw Jonathan across the small living room. _

_ Her brother's body collided with the back of the couch, hitting it with such a force that it toppled backwards onto the carpet. Clary watched, frozen in her spot, as Jonathan rolled on the ground. He coughed like he was dying, gripping his throat._

_ "She left me because of you two," Valentine growled out. His eyes, much to Clary's worst nightmare, went to her suddenly and he stalked towards her like a lion looking at its prey. "Because of you."_

_ Her eyes widened and she shook her head nervously. "No. I – I didn't–"_

_ The fire in Valentine's eyes cut her off, making her physically scared to speak. "You did. And you'll pay for it."_

_ When he reached out for her, most likely for her throat, she acted instinctively. Clary's right hand gripped the lamp tighter before she swung it…_

_ And it collided with Valentine's head, sending him to the floor. She jumped back in horror at what she did. He hit the carpet with a loud crash, loud enough to make her jump back in surprise. Then, his body settled. His eyes closed. His breathing slowed. The blood poured from the wound on the side of his head. _

_ "Shit, Clary." She looked up just as her brother painfully rose to his feet. He gripped everything he could, the tables and couches to keep his balance as he walked towards her. _

_ When he finally reached her, she flung her arms around his neck and gripped him like her life depended on it. It was at that moment she realized how freaked out, how scared, how terrified she was. It hadn't been that bad before, ever. Valentine would normally just yell, put his fist through a wall or two, and then pass out in his office. He never physically assaulted his children, and the idea that it was getting worse made Clary's arms tighten around her brother even more._

_ "Shh," Jonathan's arms rubbed her back and she felt him kiss the top of her head. It didn't stop the slow tears or the quiet sobs coming from her chest though. "It's okay, baby girl. This isn't your fault."_

_ "I – I hit – him, Jon. He's… It is… my fault." _

_ "No, it isn't." Jonathan pulled her away enough so she could look up into his eyes. "It's not your fault. You didn't make Mom leave. You didn't make Dad drink. You didn't do any of that. You're perfect, and I don't want you blaming this on yourself."_

_ She nodded, even if she didn't really believe it. Her eyes traveled down his face to his throat, where red lines were starting to form. Her right hand reached up, touching Jonathan's sore skin lightly. He flinched. "Does it hurt?"_

_ He swallowed once, closing his eyes. "A bit. He didn't hold me up long enough to do any real damage. See?" He coughed a bit, then spoke again. "I'm talking fine. I'm okay."_

_ "Jon, I'm so sorry. It's my fault that–"_

_ "It's not." He gripped Clary's face, forcing her to look him in the eyes. They were dark and she struggled to keep full eye contact. Looking at Jonathan for a long time was always uneasy, even if he was trying to be comforting. "None of this is your fault. Okay? Trust me on that. This is Dad's fault, and you shouldn't be blaming yourself. Understand?" She opened her mouth to fight back against him, but he shook his head. "Baby girl, you'll always be my first priority, and I'd never lie to you. Please, believe me that I'll always protect you. You didn't do any of this, and I'll make sure Dad doesn't hurt you, okay? Do you trust me?"_

_ She nodded quickly. "Of course I do."_

_ "Then you have to believe me. You're safe with me, Clary."_

_ A bad feeling started to settle in Clary's stomach but she nodded either way, burying her head in his chest again. "What are you we going to do?"_

_ "I don't know." He kissed the top of her head, pulling her even closer. "But I'm not going to let you get caught in the middle of it. I love you too much to let that happen, Clary."_

_ A small smile tugged at her lips. "I love you too."_

"Clary?"

Her eyes slowly opened, and it took a moment for her sight and surroundings to make sense. She lifted her head from her arms, feeling the blood rush from the spot against her arms which it took refuge. It wasn't until she realized how uncomfortable she felt that she realized falling asleep at the wooden desk in the bookstore wasn't a good idea.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked. His hand was pressing on her back. His face showed the concern that sounded in his voice.

She nodded, sitting up completely from her resting spot. The computer screen before her apparently died out a long time ago, along with the rest of the bookstore. Not a soul other than the two of them was in sight. "What time is it?"

Simon glanced down at his watch. "Almost ten."

"Shit," she groaned, burying her head back in her arms. "Isabelle is going to kill me."

"Isabelle can get over it. You fell asleep. It happens to the best of us. She knows your with me anyway, so what's the big deal if you're a little bit late getting home? I'm perfectly capable of keeping you safe."

"But it's the third time I've done it this week," she mumbled, slowly sitting up into a sitting position. Her hands dug in her pocket, pulling her phone out.

"Damn," Simon whistled.

Thirteen missed calls from Isabelle along with nine text messages. Clary's stomach twisted as she read them. They weren't happy ones.

** Where the hell are you?**

** If you don't answer me soon, I swear to all that is holy that your ass is grass when you get home.**

** Clary, seriously?! What the fuck is going on. Answer your damn phone!**

"Who is this girl?" he inquired. He was hovering over Clary's shoulder, glancing at the phone with a frown on his face. "She acts like she's your mother."

Clary rolled her eyes and shoved her phone back in her pocket. "Izzy is just trying to watch out for me. She's been more careful since my father is apparently reaching some touchy lines to get to her current boyfriend."

He nodded, but his face turned darker. "Speaking of boyfriends, how come Mr. Arrogant isn't chatting with you?" Simon asked. The annoyance was obvious in his tone, but Clary was too tired to defend Jace at this point.

That didn't mean she didn't miss him though. She sighed, thinking about how little she'd gotten to see him lately. "He's probably still at football, preparing for the game tomorrow. His coach makes him and Alec stay later more often than not to work on those stupid pass plays."

Just thinking about him made her miss him that much more. Things were different since the past weekend. They kissed. They talked. She told him bits and pieces of her life. She didn't say near as much as she should've, but it was a start. It was dramatic, whether she wanted to really face it or not. And neither of them did really face it. In fact, the stayed clear from that whole confrontation.

Normally, all they did was talk about this and that. It was never serious. Their conversations stayed simple, stayed easy going. They talked about favorite foods, what Clary loved about writing, what Jace loved about sports, that kind of stuff. There were no family questions, no past questions, just no serious questions in general.

Now though, as she sat there with Simon, she really just wanted to be with Jace. She wanted to lean back into his arms and chest, feel his lips on her skin, shiver every time he touched her. She loved how he made her feel with the simplest of touches and missed the feeling more than anything.

Simon took the seat next to her, touching her knee with his hand. Her eyes drifted up to meet his, and the concern on his face wasn't expected. "Clary, is he at least treating you good?"

"Good?"

"Like the princess you are?"

She rolled her eyes when he started to smile. It was his goofy smile. "Simon, is that some kind of a joke?"

He brought his finger and thumb together in front of his face. "Eh, maybe a little one."

"You're a jerk," she said and pushed his hands away from his face. Her smile was definitely there though. "How do I even put up with you every day?"

He shrugged. "Hell if I know. Maybe I'm more irresistible than I think."

"Or maybe I just have a sympathetic side for people like you."

"People like me? You mean cute? Adorable? Perfect? Funny? Charming?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of scrawny, awkward, clumsy, and you kind of resemble a lost puppy most of the time."

Simon opened his mouth to retort, but he just shut it back. "I have absolutely nothing to say to that."

"That's what I thought."

"But," Simon held up a finger. "At least I'm not stubborn, sarcastic, and short." He emphasized the last one, earning a glare from Clary.

"You're not sarcastic?" she asked sarcastically.

"I'm sarcastic when I'm annoyed," he corrected. "And it's only with the princess, the prince, and their king leader – Mr. I'm Hot and Perfect." Clary smiled at his description of them. "He just gets under my skin. I hate him."

Clary sat back in her chair casually, propping her feet up on the desk in front of her. "You don't hate him."

He mimicked her position, looking sideways at her. "Clary?" She glanced over at Simon with her eyebrows raised. His eyes were serious, his posture and tone even more so. "I hate him."

She tossed her hands up and dropped them dramatically. "I just wish I knew what happened between you two."

Just like that, a silence settled over the two friends in the quiet bookstore. It was quiet enough that she could hear a pen drop, but didn't know what to say to fill it for once. Not to mention this was the comfortable silence she was used to with Simon. This was the silence that settled when people didn't know what to say, how to act, or how to avoid the next step in the conversation.

After a few seconds of the most awkward silence ever, Simon pulled his glasses off, rubbing his eyes like they were irritated. "I told you what happened between me and Jace, along with the Lightwood siblings. They all picked on me, used me, and pretty much embarrassed me in front of the entire school for their own amusement. It's nothing spectacular, but typical nerd vs. jock drama. That's all that happened."

"I know but–"

"Clary, seriously, just stop." Simon gave her a stern look. "I will always hate Jace, but you seem happy with him, so I don't want to jeopardize that. Besides, he's actually been… nice lately. Especially the past few days."

Even though she wanted to take credit for that, especially since she had a stern talk with Jace about how he treated Simon, she played dumb. "Really? Nice?"

Simon nodded. "I mean, not angelic or anything, but he just kind of ignores me and acts like I don't exist." He smiled to himself, looking down to the floor. "I like it actually."

"Simon?" The pair turned their heads to Luke's office, where a girl poked her head out. Her dark skin and hair was unmistakable. She looked to the left and then to the right towards the computers, her eyes fixing on Simon immediately. "There you are. Can we talk?"

He nodded, standing from his chair slowly. "Yeah, I'll be right there, Maia."

The girl, Maia, nodded, turning her gaze to Clary. "Hey, Clary."

"Hey Maia," Clary waved before she ducked back into Luke's office, closing the door. Clary reached down and grabbed her book bag, tossing it over her shoulder and standing. "I guess I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah," Simon nodded. "Do you have your bike with you?"

She nodded. "Magnus was kind enough to get me some gas for it this weekend. And I seriously have to get back before Isabelle has a heart attack." She felt another buzzing sensation against her jeans, and placed her hand over it like it would calm it. "My battery can only handle so much of this madness."

Before she could leave, Simon wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she was suddenly pulled into his tight embrace. He squeezed her until almost all the breath left her chest. "Just – just be careful, okay?"

Her arms wrapped around him and she patted his back. "Simon, I told you that I'm not going to let Jace hurt me."

He nodded, although his arms didn't loosen any. "I just worry about you. I don't care if it's your dad, your brother, or Jace. It all scares me when you leave. No matter how sweet he is when he's with you, I still don't feel right about leaving him to protect you. I'm sorry but I care about you being safe too much to leave it to someone else."

"Trust me Simon, I am safe." For once, that statement actually had meaning to it. With Isabelle watching her like a hawk, Jace's ability to actually kill somebody, and Simon's protective instincts, she didn't feel threatened for once. She was safe. She was actually safe.

* * *

"Jace, can't we leave now?" Alec begged as another ball was tossed at his face. He caught it with just enough grace, lowing his hands to glare at his best friend.

They'd been at this for hours, and Jace wasn't backing down a bit. It was obvious to him that Alec was tired and annoyed. The way his throws were getting lazy, his slack attitude, and his constant whining was enough indication that he was over this night's training session.

Jace looked up towards the night sky, the stadium lights shining down on him and his friend. "Why do you want to leave so bad?"

Alec gave him an 'Are You Serious?' kind of look, dropping the ball on the grass. "I want a shower. I'm over being here. You're in a mood for some damned reason, which I'm completely sick and tired of, and I'm hungry. Is that enough for you?"

"Wow, can you complain some more?" Jace bent down, picking up the ball that Alec dropped.

Alec crossed his arms over his t-shirt. He, unlike Jace, actually had a shirt on. "Actually I can."

"Well don't." Jace turned away from Alec, looking down field. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your shit on top of everything else."

"You haven't been in the mood for anything actually."

Jace shrugged. "It's not my fault."

There was a moment of quiet. Jace stared down at the ball, twisting it in his hands when Alec finally spoke again. "Does this have something to do with Clary?"

Jace stiffened at her name. He wasn't in a foul mood because of her, but because of Isabelle. That girl had been keeping a close eye on them since they got together, and Jace felt like a fish in a fish tank. His every move was watched and analyzed enough by Michael, and he didn't need that same treatment in his second home either. There was no privacy, no real privacy at least, and it was driving him nuts.

But as for the two of them, it's been nothing but good so far. Jace shook his head, running his hand that wasn't holding the ball through his hair. "Everything is fine with Clary. It would be better if Isabelle would back off a bit, but we all know she's going to do what she wants. Her top priority right now is my girlfriend."

"That's true. But why is Isabelle's protectiveness over Clary getting to you so bad?"

Jace's hand tightened around the ball. "I told you that it isn't bothering me. That's not why I'm pissed off right now."

"Then what the hell is going on with you?"

Even though he really felt the need to tell somebody, he didn't. Jace couldn't. That was his problem. If he couldn't tell Alec what was wrong, how was he supposed to tell Clary? Alec had been his friend for years. They were almost as close as he and Isabelle, and even Isabelle had yet to hear.

Jace closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "It's nothing."

"Screw this. Sulk alone if that's what you want," Alec exclaimed. Then he stormed away, mumbling something about idiotic teenagers and how Jace was an asshole.

"With pleasure," Jace said, dropping down to the grass.

He wasn't sure how long he actually laid there on his back, staring up at the ceiling while twirling the ball in his hands. The pricks of the grass tickled his back, but it was actually pleasant in the silence. His mind was able to wonder away from the stadium, from the lights, from the feeling he was holding inside.

And it wondered right to everything he feared of losing: His grandmother, his friends, Clary. All of them meant so much to him, but he was losing one for sure. The pain that it would cause was something he wasn't prepared for either.

How was he supposed to make it through losing the last piece of his family? How was he supposed to go to her funeral, look into the eyes of her friends, and say that it would all be okay? How was he supposed to comfort those that weren't even hurting as much as he was? On top of everything though, would he finally be able to let Clary in before that happens, because otherwise he'd fall apart in her arms. Even if he didn't want her to know, it was obvious that he would have to tell her.

His negative mind wouldn't let him though. Eventually, that day will come, and she'll just be gone. It'll be the day that he really is alone. Jace will have to take care of Jace, and there's no one that can help him. Clary would want to, at least he hoped she would, but he was too damn stubborn to let her. He hated that part of himself! He'd deal with this like the ass hole he was – holding back, not talking, pissing people off, and just being the arrogant and pretentious dick. There wasn't a thing he could do about it.

Even against his will, his mind wondered back to the conversation he had with Nana the day before. It was embedded in his brain like it was chiseled against stone.

_"How is she?" Nana had asked when Jace took his spot by her bed. Their hands, as usual, gripped each other's for support, mainly for his instead of hers. "And why isn't she here?"_

_ Jace looked at his grandmother, really looked at her, and suddenly wished that Clary was there. His girlfriend brought a light with her last time she was here, even if they weren't together at the time, and he needed that light again. Nana needed that light again. Without Clary, Nana seemed paler, older, more fragile, and Jace hated it. _

_ He leaned down, kissing the fragile hands of his grandmother. "She's with Isabelle working on an art project. I'm sorry she couldn't make it."_

_ Nana smiled either way. "Well?"_

_ "She's good," Jace answered, and he even smiled at the thought of her. "Very good. We… we made it official this weekend. Although the girls at school aren't exactly happy about the idea, especially Aline."_

_ Her eyes lightened up. "They'll live. I'm proud of you, Jace."_

_ That one statement was enough to make his heart stop. She was proud of him for the wrong reasons, and he knew it. "Nana, I didn't – I couldn't–"_

_ "I didn't think you could, but those weren't my intentions," she interrupted. Jace's eyes widened but she just reached up with her free hand slowly. It seemed like it took ages and she was extremely weak, but the effort was there. Jace leaned forward, closing the distance until Nana was able to place her tiny hand on his cheek. "Jace, do you know why I asked you to do that?"_

_ He shook his head._

_ "Because I knew you never would otherwise. I knew that you wouldn't tell her though. You'd never even bring it up if it wasn't for me, right?"_

_ He shrugged, but basically nodded in agreement. It was true after all._

_ "And I want you to be happy. Clary, even if you hate to admit it, makes you happier than I've seen in a long time."_

_ "I'm not afraid to admit it," he said, lifting his gaze to his grandmother's. "But Nana, it's hard. You know what happened. You know about the fight, about how it was my fault–"_

_ "It wasn't your fault."_

_ "–And you're family so it's easier for you to forgive. But Clary, if she knew how I acted that day, how I can act, she'd be terrified of me." Jace dropped his head, putting it on the bed. "I don't know if I can handle that. I finally got her to look at me like she does now, and the last thing I want is to jeopardize that. Even if Isabelle knew, I wouldn't be the Jace that she's used to. I'd be a monster."_

_ "No you wouldn't be."_

_ If only he could actually believe that. "If they found out that my father and I fought, I ended up hurting my mother, and then burning the house down with them inside… I'd be nothing but a monster in their eyes. I don't care how much of a fluke accident it was. It was – is my fault, end of story."_

_ Nana's hand made its way into Jace's hair, just enough to try to comfort him. He only pinched his eyes tighter shut to attempt to block out the pain. "Clary would understand," she insisted._

_ "She wouldn't."_

_ "She would." Even if Nana seemed totally convinced, Jace wasn't. "She cares about you, all of you. I know that it's hard for you to let her in, but she let you in, right?"_

_ He nodded against the sheets, thinking back to that weekend. Her story wasn't anything as bad as he thought it was going to be. Sure, Valentine was a dick and Jonathan was even worse, but he knew that much already. That was nothing new. _

_ Something was missing from her little story though. That wasn't all of it, and he knew that. She was holding back, even if she was trying to let him in, she was still holding back. Pieces of the puzzles weren't there, making it hard, impossible actually, for Jace to figure her out. He wasn't making it any easier for her either, but she was holding something very important inside, deep down. She looked just as scared to talk about her whole story as Jace was to talk about his._

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Jace's eyes opened to the familiar voice. His memory faded in an instant, and he craned his neck backwards to see the intruder.

Jonathan Morgenstern stood about ten yards away, arms crossed over his chest, looking casual. A simple white t-shirt and jeans covered his body, and he wasn't looking like he was trying to impress. His hair wasn't styled. His other half who Jace also hated was nowhere to be found. This was definitely not what Jace expected at this time of night.

"Homeless again, are we?" Jonathan teased, smiling down at Jace's form on the ground. Jace didn't speak, and Jonathan cocked his head to the side, much like Clary does. The resemblance was scary. "Burn another house down already, Herondale? I thought you would've learned your lesson the first time."

Anger shot through Jace, but he was able to push it down. He wasn't sure why he was holding back, but he was, all of the anger going to his hands as he gripped the football to the point it might actually pop.

Jace slowly rose to his feet, fighting his every instinct to beat the shit out of the boy in front of him. "What are you going here, Morgenstern?"

"Sebastian told me you might be here." Jonathan stepped forwards a few steps, doing a three sixty in the process to take in the stadium. "And he was spot on. I found you."

"Why did you care?"

"I wanted to talk you about something."

Jace stiffened. "Something… or someone?"

Jonathan stopped looking around, meeting Jace's gaze under the lights. His eyes were darker, impossibly darker, like this. "If you must know, both."

"So Clary," Jace finished.

Jonathan shrugged casually. "Not exactly, but now that you ask, how is my dear little sister?"

"Better now that she's away from you."

Jace's eyes stayed glued to Jonathan's as the boy started to slowly walk back and forth. He looked like a predator trying to get a better angle on his prey. It was… creepy.

Jonathan stopped suddenly, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, we're all better off now that she's done and gone." Jace's hands tightened as his sides as the ball dropped to the floor. He was three seconds from punching Jonathan in the face, and it was obvious that Clary's brother noticed. He smiled on one side, looking from the ball to Jace. "Is that a touchy subject?"

"Don't push me," Jace warned.

"Is Kaelie also a touchy subject to you?"

Just the name almost sent Jace over the edge. He didn't though. With all of his might, he held back and stopped himself from tackling Jonathan to the floor.

"So it is touchy?" Jonathan smirked. "You look like you're about to snap."

"Don't test me, Jonathan. You'll get your ass kicked, I promise."

"Now, I'm intrigued." Jonathan glanced around quickly. "It's been a while since you've seen her, right? About a year?" When his back was to Jace, Jonathan pointed towards the field house where the locker rooms were. "Isn't that where you two shared your first kiss?"

"What the hell do you want?" Jace yelled, raising his hands and dropping them back down to his side. "You're not here to talk about my ex-girlfriend or my current one. Honestly, say what you have to say and leave before you leave in a body bag."

"That would be interesting, but I have no intentions of getting my ass kicked, because that wouldn't happen to begin with. We both know who would win that fight."

Jace's hands were threatening to move on their own accord and try out that little theory. "Spit. It. Out."

"Okay, calm your tits." Jonathan was quiet for a moment, spinning back on his heels to face Jace again. "This is about you and me. I think we have some stuff to talk about that didn't get said last week."

Jace, now realizing what Jonathan's intentions were, crossed his arms over his chest and smirked like the cocky bastard he was. "So, this is about Florida?"

"And my sister."

"And I'm not discussing Clary with you anymore, other than to say this." Jace stepped forwards until he was right in front of Jonathan. The other boy was slightly taller than Jace, but neither backed down. "Stay the hell away from her. If I hear you hurt her ever again, verbally or physically, I will personally kill you. Understand?"

"I'll do whatever the fuck I want," Jonathan shot back, shoving Jace away from him. "You'll do well to remember that, Herondale. You can have my sister all you want if you keep her out of my hair, but stay the fuck away from my college."

"You're college? Last time I checked, they wanted me as bad as they want you."

"Don't make history repeat itself," Jonathan warned. "This time, the roles will be reversed, so don't test me."

With the remark, Jace actually hesitated. He had no doubt that he could take Jonathan in a fight – a fair fight, but this wasn't going to be fair. Back in the day, Michael and Valentine didn't play fair, and Valentine ended up having his back broken in the process due to Michael's aggressive side. There went his football career, his life, his work. All gone. No matter how confident Jace was, he knew that Jonathan would go to great lengths to ruin his life, and Jace – against his instincts to battle – knew better than to push it. He wasn't having a stupid injury because of stupid feud.

So Jace took a few steps back, but didn't technically back down. "I'm not testing you. But I'm not backing down. If I want to go to Florida, I'm going. If I want to have your sister, I will. But we're not going to be the brutes they were."

"I do what I have to."

"And I protect what I want to," Jace answered with a bit of malice in his voice. "I'll protect my own future and my girlfriend. So if you were smart, you'd drop this petty argument before you get hurt."

"No one is getting hurt," Sebastian stated as he was suddenly appearing from behind the bleachers. Jace rolled his eyes. _Should've known that they'd be together_, he thought to himself. "Both of you are going to work this out in a civil manner."

"He acts like a caveman," Jace pointed out, sticking his finger at Jonathan. "And you want him to be civil with me?"

"Yes, I do." Jace opened his mouth to retort, but Sebastian held his hand up. "And you'll do it if you want to keep Clary. I don't care how much she says she'd rather be at the Lightwoods. She misses her brother and doesn't want you fighting with him."

Jace pointed at Jonathan with disbelief. "This dick? You're telling me Clary actually likes this ass hole?"

"I'm better than you think," Jonathan smiled. He stood taller and prouder. "People actually find me irresistible."

Is that what I always sound like? Jace wondered to himself. He made a mental note to tone it down a bit, although he doubted he could actually do it.

Sebastian's hand suddenly clamped over Jace's shoulder, and to his own surprise, Jace didn't shrug him off. "Do you trust me?" Sebastian asked.

"No."

"Well, Clary does, and I know that you know that I know what I'm talking about when it comes to her."

"This is my time to leave. This is getting too deep and personal for my taste," Jonathan announced, looking rather disgusted. He still glared at Jace though. "Just stay away from Florida, and you won't get hurt. As for my sister," he paused, "I couldn't give a shit what you do with her."

"Just leave, Jonathan," Sebastian snapped, and after a quick, none to kind glance, the Morgenstern boy turned and headed back towards the gate to exit the field. Within a few seconds, he was gone, and it was just Jace and Sebastian.

Neither of the boys spoke for a few moments. Jace spent the time recapping on the conversation. He was one hundred percent sure that whatever Jonathan was threatening wouldn't be good. The last thing he wanted when everything was going right was to have Jonathan come in and turn it upside down.

He sighed, running a hand through his sweaty hair. This was getting annoying.

Sebastian's hand dropped from Jace's shoulder. "You know that he meant exactly what he said."

"I can handle him. He's not as tough as he seems."

"He's manipulative, like you," Sebastian said. "You don't want to make this some kind of Guerilla Warfare, Jace. That won't end well for either of you, and Clary will get hurt in the process, whether you meant for her to or not."

"I'll keep her safe."

"You'll try to keep her safe. That doesn't mean she will be safe."

Jace turned, glaring at Sebastian. "Are you saying I'm incapable of protecting my own girlfriend? In case you forgot, she was hurt under your watch too. Jonathan was still able to get his hands on her while you were 'watching out for her.'"

"I can't watch her all the time, and neither can you."

"I can try."

"You'll bloody well fail."

Anger coursed through Jace that he fought to keep at bay. He knew that Sebastian's words were true, but maybe he was just too stubborn to believe them. He didn't want to think that he couldn't protect Clary. He hated the thought that she could get hurt.

"She's at home, by the way." Jace looked up, meeting Sebastian's gaze. The kept speaking though. "Isabelle called me. She said something about the fact that Clary wouldn't shut up about you until Isabelle promised to see if you were here."

Jace smiled, even in the presence of Sebastian Verlac. The fact that he was the first thing she'd ask about always made his insides do strange things.

Sebastian cocked his head to the side, giving Jace a strange look. "Are you going to stand her or are you going to go to her?"

Even though that's all he ever wanted, Jace didn't leave. He stood there, staring at Sebastian. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Encouraging my relationship with her. Why? What could you possibly get out of helping me and Clary?"

Sebastian actually looked taken aback by the question. "I – Why wouldn't I? I want what's best for her just as much as you do."

"I don't believe you," Jace growled. He took a step towards Sebastian slowly. "You're lying. What the hell are you trying to do?"

There wasn't a logical reason Jace was pushing this, but he couldn't help but feel like Sebastian had some kind of ulterior motive. Never in all the years that they knew each other had he done something that actually benefited Jace. Now, all of sudden he's trying to get Jace good with his best friend? What?

Sebastian just shook his head, rubbing his hands on his jeans like he was nervous. "I don't see what you're big deal is, but I'm only trying to help. If you don't believe that, it's not my problem."

"It involves Clary, so it is my problem."

"Jace, just stop," Sebastian sighed. "I love Clary. Is that what you want to hear? I'd never do anything to initially hurt her." With that said and done, Sebastian started walking off. He only got a few steps before he stopped and turned towards Jace again. "And if you start to over think every little thing I do, you'll explode. Take my advice, and stop analyzing my life. Focus on your girlfriend, because she'll trip you up more than I ever will."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jace yelled as Sebastian started walking away.

"Lesson number one: Let that one go too."

If he was close enough after that remark, Jace was sure that he would've seriously punched him.

* * *

Clary stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. It was one of the best feelings in the world. Something about it would just wash away all her worries and fears for the time being. It was right up there with drawing when it came to helping her relax.

With a towel wrapped around her head, holding her hair hand keeping the droplets of water off of her body, she stepped up to the mirror with another towel, drying herself off.

Her reflection was so much different than the one a week ago. The green eyes looking back at her weren't full of so much worry and stress, but they almost sparkled. Her skin might have still been pale, but it actually looked healthy. There were no bags under her eyes. For the first time in a long time, she actually liked the way she looked.

There was a knock at the bathroom door. Clary momentarily looked away from the mirror, wrapping the towel around her body and she swung the door open.

Jace stood there, and his eyes widened as he took in her state. He looked to be in shock, not expecting her to be so exposed, and his eyes made a path from Clary's face, down her body, and back up again. When they finally met her green gaze again, they were almost a brownish gold, darkened to a point.

She wrapped the towel tighter around her, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uh, hi."

He shook his head like he was trying to clear it. "Oh, shit. I didn't mean to stare, but I just–"

"It's fine, Jace," Clary insisted. She reached out, touching his arm lightly. "Go sit on my bed and I'll be out when I'm done, okay?"

He nodded, and Clary slowly shut the door, happy that her night clothes were actually already in the bathroom. Her back hit the door softly, and she took a moment to try to steady her heart. That gaze was so… intense, and did extremely dangerous things to her body. It was maddening how one look from him could turn her to jelly. Not only that, but it was downright infuriating, even if she did secretly enjoy it.

After a few minutes, Clary's shorts and t-shirt were on. Her hair was still wet, but it wasn't dripping so she let it fall around her shoulders as she stepped out of the bathroom.

There he was, sitting on her bed with his head in his hands. Her stomach flipped and she felt the butterflies yet again as she just admired him. The way his back arched when he slouched like that, the way his fingers pulled at his own hair, the way the jeans clung to his hips – it was all just perfection wrapped in one golden package. How did she ever get the chance to have that?

Without hesitation, she walked right up to him. She fit herself between his legs, squatting down until she was going to be looking up at him. "What's going on?" she asked, prying his hands away from his face.

He let her do it, taking a deep breath before he finally met her gaze again. "I'm probably the most selfish person in the world."

"Why?" She grabbed his face when he tried to look away, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You're not being selfish."

"When I want what I want," his eyes wondered over her again, heating every nerve in her body, "I'm selfish. I can't deny that."

She knew exactly what he was talking about with just the look in his eyes. The lust could've been seen from a mile away, and even though she couldn't wait for that, she couldn't bring herself to push that part of their relationship either. Both of them struggled with the self-control aspect. If they started on a night like this after being apart for different reasons, she wasn't sure they'd be able to stop.

Even with all the reasons that they shouldn't, Clary didn't make a move. She didn't try to push it, but didn't move away from him either. Her eyes stayed on his face, studying him as he struggled to keep eye contact.

"There's something else," she all but thought out loud. One of her hands moved from his cheek to the area just below his eye. The brush of her fingertips near the dark circles made his eyes close and his hands were suddenly at her waist, tugging her closer. "Jace, what's really going on?"

"I missed you," he mumbled into her hair when he buried his head in the wet curls. She was pressed against him instantly as he lifted her, settling her on his lap suddenly.

On instinct, her legs wrapped around his waist as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Nothing about it seemed rushed. She just attempted to massage out some of the tension in his shoulders as he refused to loosen his grip.

"Jace, please talk to me."

If it was even possible, he pulled her tighter to him. "I can't."

Something was seriously wrong. Clary could feel it in every part of him. How he held her, how he talked, how he was acting all sent warning signs. "You're scaring me."

"I'm sorry." As if to show he meant it, his grip actually loosened, and he pulled back. "I just wish that I could be what you deserve."

"It's been a few days. How do you know what I deserve?"

Jace looked up at her, his hair falling into his eyes. Clary reached forward, brushing them back with her fingers. "I know that you deserve the best, someone who will care about you, want what's best for you. I'm not that guy."

"Because?"

He sighed, tilting his face up to the ceiling. "Because when I saw you in that towel, I just wanted to yank it off of you and have my way with you." She took a sharp breath, something warm and tingling going through her entire body. "That's not what a good boyfriend does."

Clary had to admit, that really did make her nervous. The fact that Jace wanted her like that made her happy, but it also scared her to death.

"And I just want to be what you really need," he continued. "According to Isabelle and Sebastian, this will work. Even my grandmother can tell that you've made me the happiest that I've been in a long time. Emotionally, I like how close we've gotten in such a short time. I like that you tell me things, open up to me, and I want to do the same for you."

Clary leaned her forehead against his, her hands moving from his back to his chest. His heart was beating rapidly through his t-shirt. "Why don't you?"

"Because something tells me I can't. Sometimes I want to. Hell, I want to all the time, but then it's like my mouth won't work. The words don't come and I end up shutting down every time."

"I'm not going to force you to tell me." She tried to make him believe every word she was saying, because it was nothing but the truth. She didn't want to make him open up if he wasn't ready. "Hey, will you look at me?"

He did. Although it was reluctant, his gaze met hers.

"What's brought this on?" she asked, searching his eyes for answers. "Why are you suddenly upset and talking like this? We've been so relaxed this week. We've had fun and just went with the flow of things, so why are you stressing about this now?"

He shrugged casually, the Jace she knew starting to shine through a crack in his upset facial features. "Everything just crashes at once I guess. With the game tomorrow, Michael is cracking down on me every second. Then Jonathan showed up after Alec left today. Then Sebastian came and–"

"Wait a minute, Jonathan? You mean…"

"Your brother," he confirmed. Clary sucked in a breath, wondering how wrong and bad that could've turned up, but Jace tried to relax her by rubbing circles with his thumbs where her shirt had ridden up. It was probably the most distracting thing he could ever do to her. Well… maybe not.

"What did he want?" she asked, trying her best to focus when he pulled her a bit closer, tightening his grip on her.

"He was just being threatening, nothing new. If anything, he's using every technique possible to try to get me out of Florida. Including bringing up Kaelie."

"Kaelie?" Clary stiffened above him. "How do you know Kaelie?"

"Ex-girlfriend."

That was when it all clicked. Clary helped Jonathan get Kaelie from her boyfriend about a year ago. Isabelle said Jace and Kaelie broke up about a year ago.

"You mean, I helped my brother break up you and Kaelie?"

Jace looked as shocked as Clary felt, and a sudden horror flooded through her. Would he reject her now? Would he think she was as horrible as she already felt? She did end up ruining his old relationship, and she couldn't have blamed him if he just walked out.

"Clary?" She stiffened on top of Jace's lap as Max's voice came through her closed door. She looked towards the door quickly. "Are you in there? Is Jace in there?"

"It's okay," Jace whispered, and Clary's eyes traveled over his face in confusion. He nodded, leaning forward until their foreheads pressed together. "If I was still with her, I wouldn't have gotten you. I should be thanking you."

"Clary?" Max pounded on the door. "Why are you ignoring me?"

"We're coming, Max!" Jace yelled as he pulled back. He gently placed her on the bed, pecking her on the lips lightly as he moved towards the door. And Clary, being Clary, watched him go with an artistic view of the best ass she'd seen in a long time. Even in those jeans, he was just heavenly.

"What's up, buddy?" Jace asked when he finally opened the door.

The frantic boy ran in, sprinting past Jace and bouncing on the bed. Within seconds, he'd tackled Clary and sent her flying back, settling on top of her with a giggle. "You're back!" he chimed happily, hugging her around the neck in a tight embrace.

"I missed you too," she laughed, her eyes locked on Jace. He was standing soundless in the doorway, watching with a small smile on his face. "What are you up to?"

Max pulled back, and a frown settled over his face. "Izzy told me to come get you."

"Why?"

Max shrugged casually. "She said that something happened and to come get you."

If Clary wasn't holding onto Max, she'd have been at Jace's side in a second. He looked like he was ready to explode, but never got a word out as Isabelle suddenly appeared in the doorway, a frantic, terrified look on her freakishly perfect features.

Jace moved slowly, almost cautious as he turned towards her. "Izzy?"

"There was a car crash. It's Alec," was all that she got out before Jace took off out of the room, Clary, Max, and Isabelle hot on his heels.

* * *

**Well, there's a lot of flashbacks for you that time, but at least now you know how things used to be. In the real world, things can change dramatically, just like Clary's life did. What do you think happened between Jonathan and Clary to make them hate each other like they do? Cause they seem so lovey back in the day!**

**As for Alec, I NEED IDEAS! I can't decide how I want this to go. Don't get me wrong, I hate the fact that I had to 'injure' him, but it is what it is. I need your ideas though. Review and tell me if you want him to live (I'm sure 90% would kill me if i killed him off anyway). Should Magnus come save the day? How is Jace going to react if this wasn't an accident. Who would be responsible if it was planned? So many questions!**


	14. Chapter 14 - Hospital Hell

**Sorry it took so long to get back to you all. College has been hectic with midterms. Ugh. But yeah, here ya go :)**

* * *

The hospital was exactly as Clary remembered it. She'd been here plenty of times with Jonathan's many injuries, one of the major ones being his shoulder. Over the years, he'd gotten hurt more often than not due to football even if he didn't like to admit it. He tried to be the hard ass that never got hurt, but that just lead to surgery after a while. It was a typical move for him, especially with their father's history of breaking bones.

This trip to the hospital was much more stressful. It wasn't just because Clary was worried about Alec, because she was, but she was really more worried about Jace. There was more than just a surgery that she knew her brother would make it out of. This was a mess. And Jace hadn't said a word, hadn't acknowledged anything, hadn't even seemed to change his facial features since they left the house. The lack of communication was really starting to freak her out.

The group – Isabelle with Max holding her hand, Jace, and Clary – all walked through the sliding doors in a rush. The overpowering smell of cleaning products made Clary stagger a bit, but she kept straight once she was used to it. Jace lead them like a general leads his army, except more frantic. She and Max were struggling just to keep up with him as he sprinted in the building.

They stormed into the ER, and Jace raced right up to the front desk. "Where is Alec Lightwood?"

The woman at the desk, a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, looked up with a sad smile on her face. "Alec is currently recovering from surgery, young man, and he doesn't need to be bothered yet. Are you friend or family?"

"I'm his sister," Isabelle stated as she stepped up.

The nurse eyed Isabelle quickly, looking down at Max and Clary. "And them?"

"Irrelevant," Jace announced. Clary cringed at the sound of his tone. It was extremely harsh, like there was a hidden threat inside it. "I want to see him."

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't–"

"Listen here, I'll break down the fucking door if I have to–"

"Hey! There's Magnus!" Max yelled and pointed, and Clary followed where he was pointing down the hall. Jace and Isabelle's attention was diverted, and Clary was shocked at what she saw.

What was Magnus even doing here? How did he beat them here? He was standing on the other side of the sliding glass doors in the direction of the Operating Rooms. He looked different from all the other times Clary had seen him. Gone was his tux, his butler look. The shocking realization that he was actually normal was what struck Clary the most.

And the glitter of course. The bright red shirt, the silver shining pants, the even brighter red shoes, and the glitter made it easy to see him from a mile away. His hair was styled different, sticking up and shining with some kind of gel and even more glitter. It was like staring at a disco ball as the light reflected off of him in every direction.

The woman he was talking with was just as strange. Most everything about her was normal except for her completely white hair, like snow. It blended into the white walls a little too well.

"How the hell did he know about this already?" Jace wondered, stepping away from the counter to get a better look.

Isabelle shrugged, pulling Max closer to her side. The little boy looked terrified. He was pulling at his sister's blouse and jeans, digging his head into her side. Clary's heart broke looking at him as his eyes drifted from the door to Isabelle's shirt, like he wanted to know what was happening but was scared of the truth.

It was funny, in a non-humorous way, how she could tell what everyone else was feeling but not herself. Max was horrified and worried, along with Isabelle, while Jace was looking furious, pissed, worried, stressed, and deadly all at the same time.

But she had never really gotten along with Alec. It was more like they tolerated each other and didn't try to lash out. She didn't in particularly have a problem with him, but the way he would look at her when no one else was paying attention, the way he would pretty much ignore her if she was around, it hurt pretty bad. She gave him props, because he hid it pretty well, but it still hurt for some reason. But still, she wanted him to be okay. Not for her sake, but for Jace's. She wasn't sure he couldn't handle much more on his heart at this point.

"How did you find out about this?" Jace asked Isabelle as his arm wrapped around Clary's waist. She hadn't even noticed he'd moved to her side during her thoughts.

"I got a call from the police."

"They just knew you were Alec's sister and knew who to call?"

Isabelle stared at him like he was an idiot. "Jace, my parents are lawyers. You should know that we're pretty well known around here. Not to mention my second cousin twice removed or something works here. So yes, they just know."

He put his hands up with some sass, giving her a look. "Sorry, princess. I forgot everyone bowed down to your family."

"Just make sure you don't forget again."

"Don't act so high and mighty, little miss trouble maker. You're not above all the rest of us."

"Where the hell is this coming from?" Isabelle practically screamed. Her hands flew to her hips in a stance looking like she was ready to fight.

Jace casually shrugged. "I'm just saying that if Magnus was here before us, that's how they knew to call you. You're not all powerful and famous. So stop acting like it."

Isabelle's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You're the one that asked me!"

It took all Clary had to not slap the both of them. Between Jace arguing with Simon, with Isabelle, with his teachers, with Magnus, with Sebastian, with Jonathan, and with every other person on the planet, she was about to explode. Honestly, did he even get along with a single human being?

She shook her head, not wanting to know the answer to that question. But honestly, how could someone so handsome and charming start fight after fight like he enjoyed it? Clary hated arguing and fighting more than anything, probably because of her past experiences. She just wished that people would get along, but that didn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Jace liked the red faced Isabelle or the angry Alec way too much to let that stop. He really was messed up in the head at times.

Her thoughts were interrupted when something pulled at her shirt. She looked down to find Max looking up at her, a worried expression on his face.

"Clary, make them stop," he whined, digging his head into her stomach as he hugged her.

Clary wasn't sure what he was talking about until she looked up and back at reality. Jace and Isabelle were seriously going at it about something now. They were both looking incensed and ready to kill.

"Guys," she hissed, grabbing the attention of her boyfriend and best friend. "Can't you two just–"

"You all finally made it." Clary was interrupted as Magnus burst through the door, the doctor lady now nowhere to be found. His eyes were focused on them, glancing down at Max worried but only for a moment before looking back at Jace and Isabelle. "And you're already fighting?"

"We're not fighting," Isabelle mumbled. "We just had a little argument."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Since when do the two perfect best friends argue?"

Jace opened his mouth to retort, probably with something sarcastic, but he didn't say a word. He actually looked shocked at the realization, just like Isabelle. Apparently, the fact that they were fighting was a new concept to the two of them. Clary had seen it plenty, so she didn't understand why they were so shocked.

With a glance to Clary, who shrugged, Magnus decided to let the matter go. "Yes, well, I'm sure you'd like an update on Alec then."

"I want to see him," Jace said, stepping forward. It was only a step, but for some reason it was intimidating. "Where is he?"

"Now Jace, just calm down–"

That was all Magnus got out before Jace snapped. It wasn't a normal person snap either, but a completely uncontrolled thing of rage as Jace acted without a second thought.

Much to Magnus's unluckiness, they were particularly close to a pillar holding up the ceiling. Jace used that to his advantage, much to Max and Clary's horror, as he grabbed Magnus's collar and slammed him against the white square pillar. There were a few screams, one belong to Clary in particular, as Jace held Magnus against the wall.

"Don't make me tear this place apart looking for him," Jace growled. "Because you know I'll do it."

"Jace," Isabelle warned, taking a tentative step forward.

His hold on Magnus didn't lessen with the warning. In fact, it seemed to tighten as Clary watched Jace suspend Magnus in the air with ease.

"He can't have visitors yet, Jace," Magnus answered finally. He was extremely calm, considering the situation. "He's unconscious. Caterina said–"

"I don't give a damn who she is or what she said," Jace yelled, pulling Magnus back and slamming him into the wall again. "Where the hell is he?"

The next few seconds happened so fast that Clary had trouble comprehending them. She was still struggling to come to the realization that Jace was about to lose it, and then he was suddenly passed out on the floor, literally.

He just slumped, like he instantly fell asleep and lost hold on reality. Magnus caught himself easily enough when his feet hit the floor, but Jace collapsed onto the tile with a thud, earning another worried yell from Clary, resulting in Max digging deeper into her side. It didn't even look like he was breathing, even though she was pretty sure he was fine. No one, especially Magnus, seemed too worried about him as he lied on his back, eyes closed and mouth open, looking like he was sleeping his troubles away.

"I really hoped that wouldn't be necessary," Magnus wondered aloud. He was holding something in his hand, something that looked like a syringe that was empty of juice.

And that's when Clary understood. Her eyes widened with the realization, a small smidgen of anger coming through. "You sedated Jace?"

Magnus nodded, stuffing the empty syringe in his pants pocket. "Isabelle has told me plenty of stories of Jace losing his temper when he didn't get his way, especially when it comes to people he cares about. I wasn't going to get my ass kicked because he had a hissy fit. He needs to learn that you don't always get what you want."

"Is he… dead?" Max asked, pulling away from Clary enough to look at Jace's unconscious body.

If it was any other time, Clary would've actually laughed. But she just squatted down next to the little boy. The anger was gone, knowing that Magnus was only thinking about the best. She couldn't really be mad, could she? "No, Max. Jace is just sleeping. He'll wake up in a while and be just fine."

That seemed to satisfy him enough and he nodded. Max was a strong kid, and understanding kid, and didn't say another word as Clary stood, walking over to talk to Isabelle and Magnus privately.

"Oh, nurse?" Magnus called as they stepped away from Jace. One of the nurses, a random one, came over at Magnus's call. He gestured to Jace. "Can you throw him in a random bed, please?"

She nodded, looking a bit confused. "What's wrong with him?"

"Anger issues." Magnus answered with a small smile on his lips. It was forced though, like the amusement wasn't really there. "Go ahead and call security. His name is Jace Herondale, so they'll know what to do." The nurse did as he asked, walking out of sight to find some help.

"Can I go with Jace?" Max asked them. Four men were coming with a stretcher, and heaved Jace onto with strain. He wasn't exactly a small teenager.

Clary and Isabelle both agreed that was best, and finally, the two girls and the butler were able to talk in privately. Somehow, Magnus had the entire hospital wrapped around his finger, and maneuvered them into some empty hallway at the back of the ER. There were charts, stretchers, tables with wheels, and everything else under the planet, but no people.

"Alright, start talking," Isabelle instructed, leaning against the wall. Clary took refuge beside her, both the girls facing down Magnus in a wall of questions.

Magnus did look a little nervous and worried about the conversation, but he hid most of it pretty well in Clary's eyes. He was probably a little proud for knocking Jace on his ass, she thought, even if he did have a bit of medical help. "Where do you want me to start?"

Isabelle asked the first question. "How did you find out about Alec before we did?"

"Alec and I were meeting up after his private practice with Jace. He's terrible at history, which I'm good at, and he needed some help with his test. Then, when he never showed up, I went looking for him. That's how I found his car."

"What had happened?" Clary asked.

Magnus didn't look to happy and smug now. "It was on the side of the road. That black truck isn't easy to see at night, but thank God that's what he decided to drive. If he was in the small Camaro, he might have been crushed, and I don't even want to think about that right now. As for the accident, all we know so far is he had gone head first into the tree, but they don't know what happened yet specifically. I just rushed him here first, thinking he was more important than finding out the details of the crash."

Clary's heart sank at the thought of it. She actually pictured such a thing, and the mental image made her shiver. That wasn't something she'd want for anyone, even if she didn't quite get on the best with Alec.

After a few seconds of processing the information, Isabelle asked, "Who was that doctor chick you were chatting with?"

"She's an old friend, one I've known for quite some time. Caterina. My parents and her parents were good friends, so we grew up together, even though she's considerably older than me. She just graduated from Medical School and was assigned as one of the head ER doctors here a few months ago."

"Is she Alec's doctor?"

Magnus nodded. "She was giving me an update on how he was doing." He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. He suddenly looked tired, his mood changing faster than Jace's temper tantrums. "And it wasn't the best of news."

That wasn't what they wanted to hear. Clary wrapped her arms around her torso, a feeling of dread sweeping over her body. "How bad?"

Magnus opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. "Bad."

"You might as well start now," Isabelle insisted, sounding rather impatient and worried.

It was pretty obvious Magnus wasn't enjoying the conversation, but he answered none the less. "Alec… he might be in a… a coma."

"A coma?" Clary and Isabelle asked at the same time, eyes wide and jaws open.

Magnus nodded solemnly. "According to Caterina, he had hit his head pretty bad when he was ejected and–"

"Ejected?" Isabelle interrupted. Clary watched as a small tear fell down her friends face.

"The seat belt wasn't buckled apparently," he answered. "I'm not sure if it failed, if Alec forgot, or if he just didn't care. It already happened though, so there isn't a thing we can do about it now. The damage is done, and the damage is extremely bad as well."

Isabelle sank to the floor, her back sliding down the wall. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, shock taking over her entire body. It was obvious to Clary that her friend looked like she was about to break, but Magnus was too. Hell, so was Jace, and Max was probably scared out of his mind at this point.

Perfect, she's the only slightly calm and sane one at this point.

"How long?" Isabelle asked, looking up and meeting Magnus's gaze from the floor.

There wasn't much hope in Magnus's eyes as he shook his head. "Too long."

"Magnus–"

"Maybe never, Isabelle," Magnus suddenly snapped. He threw his hands up, only to have them fall back down and slap his thighs. His eyes were angry, hurt, in pain. Clary knew that butlers normally cared for their employers, but this was a bit over the top. Magnus looked like he was losing his best friend. "Caterina said that there is a small chance he could never wake up."

Clary watched as Isabelle Lightwood, the strongest girl she had ever met, lost it. The tears started pouring out like Niagara Falls, falling down her face and smearing her make-up. She had hidden her face in her arms once it really started to get bad, and Clary really wished that she knew what to do. She'd never learned how to comfort people, because she was always the one that had the problem. Now, Isabelle was the one losing her brother and Clary didn't have any clue what to do.

She looked at Magnus, hoping and praying that he'd be able to handle the situation. She was disappointed. He looked just as bad as Isabelle but was standing. Silent tears were falling down his face, one by one, and he was taking deep breathes just to stay calm. But unlike Isabelle, he was still able to think coherently.

"There's one other thing," Magnus said through his slight tears. "Well, a few things actually."

Isabelle shook her head from her spot on the floor. "Don't."

"It's important. You're going to ask me later, so I might as well pile it all on now."

Clary agreed to disagree with that. Sometimes, people can only handle so much, and Isabelle looked like someone who couldn't handle much more.

Magus, luckily, didn't continue though. He was staring at Isabelle as she slowly calmed down. One by one, her tears started to stop, her body stopped shaking, her arms released her legs, and she practically slumped against the wall behind her. She looked limp, tired, and Clary took refuge next to her, where Isabelle placed her head on the redhead's shoulder.

Then, after so many minutes of silence, Isabelle nodded. "Okay, Magnus, whatever you have to say, I'm ready."

"I'm just going to lay it all out there, okay?"

Clary's hand was suddenly grasped in Isabelle's. She offered a squeeze of assurance to her friend, and then nodded to Magnus to continue.

"Other than the head injury, which they still haven't completely diagnosed, Alec broke his left femur, his right arm where he managed to snap his ulna and radius in half completely. Then, on top of that, he shattered a couple ribs and had internal bleeding that they managed to stop and secure easily enough. We all know that's not the part we should be really worried about though."

Just like that, the tears from Isabelle started pouring all over again. It was a lot. Clary couldn't deny that. She couldn't imagine going through that much pain, considering she'd never broken a thing in her life.

She pulled Isabelle into her, letting the girl cry out her tears in the sleeve of her t-shirt. "Magnus, is he going to be able to even recover from all that?"

The look on his face didn't show much hope. "Caterina said that the surgeries are going well so far when it comes to the physical stuff, but if Alec ever wakes, he will struggle to fully recover. Maybe that'll be soon."

"That's not very encouraging." Clary stroked Isabelle's black hair as the girl started crying even harder. "There isn't anything we can do?"

He shook his head. "Not unless you've got some magical powers up your sleeve to heal him. Otherwise, it's his fight."

Clary dropped her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. "I hate feeling so helpless."

"I know," Magnus agreed. "I hate it too. I almost feel partially responsible."

Confusion set over Clary's face. "Why?"

"He was going to meet me. If he would've just gone home, maybe he never would've gotten hurt."

"Maybe, but there's nothing you can change about it," Isabelle choked out. Her voice was raw and hoarse from all the crying. She slowly lifted her head, turning her gaze to Magnus. "You can't start blaming yourself for everything that happens. There wasn't anything you could've done to help him other than what you did, and there's nothing you could've done to stop it."

"Yeah, but–"

"Do you know why I asked my mom to hire you, Magnus?"

The surprise was evident in Magnus's eyes as he unconsciously stood straighter. "Uh, no, but I don't see how–"

Isabelle held up her hand, cutting him off once again. "You're more than just a butler to me, to Max, to Alec. You're like our family, and you've always done what's best for us. You care. We care. And I know that what happened with Alec wasn't anything you could've stopped. So if you keep blaming yourself, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Sometimes you can't help but blame yourself," Clary said without thinking, interrupting Magnus's reply. Once the words were out, she couldn't stop them, and both her friends looked to her with questions in their eyes. Instantly she wished she could take it back, because that little statement alone started more questions than she wanted to answer.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Isabelle asked one of the questions that Clary didn't want. She was wiping the last few tears for her eyes before they finally stopped completely.

Clary sighed, pulling her knees to her chest and shrugging one shoulder. "I just know what it's like to feel the blame. That's all."

Magnus looked at Isabelle quickly before looking back at Clary once more. "Elaborate. I have a feeling this conversation isn't about Alec anymore."

Clary looked around at the two pairs of inquiring eyes, and immediately glanced at the floor. "Maybe I don't want to elaborate. Some things are harder to talk about then others."

Magnus laughed once without humor. "Tell me about it."

"Magnus," Isabelle snapped. "I may love you, but you've got some nerve right now. This isn't the time to bring that up, okay? Don't make me fire you because you can't keep your fucking mouth shut."

"Fire me?"

"Yes."

Clary glanced up as Magnus eyed Isabelle with a frustrated look on his face. "You wouldn't dare. You'd kill somebody if you didn't have me to come to for your fashion emergencies."

"Is that really why you want to stay?" Isabelle challenged. At this point, Clary was rightfully confused. Both of them seemed to be hiding something, having one conversation with their mouths and another with their eyes that she wasn't allowed to be a part of apparently.

The corner of Magnus's mouth moved up slightly. It was there and gone so quickly, that if Clary hadn't already been watching him she never would've noticed it. "You know why I want to stay."

"Did I miss something?" Clary chimed in. "I was following the conversation pretty well until whatever just happened… happened."

"It's nothing," Magnus answered quickly.

Isabelle had other ideas. Despite the look she was getting from Magnus, she looked at Clary and said. "Alec and Magnus, despite what they tell everyone, are in a secret relationship."

Clary's eyes widened.

"Isabelle," Magnus warned, obviously angry that Isabelle was mentioning it.

"She was going to find out eventually," Isabelle shot back at him. "Honestly, you two don't hide it very well in the house. Sooner or later she'd walk in on the two of you lip-locking in the library–"

"Isabelle, just stop!" Magnus's outburst finally shut her up, but not before Clary heard way more than she wanted to.

It actually explained a lot. It explained why Alec never really cared for Clary. Sure, he'd acknowledge her existence but he never really smiled at her or acted like he wanted to be around her. Because he…

"Before you go jumping to conclusions, it's not like that." Magnus pulled Clary out of her thoughts. The look on his face showed her knew exactly what she was thinking, or at least thought he did. Then, as the last man standing, Magnus fell to the floor, slumping against the wall. He almost looked defeated, draping one arm over his knee while the other leg straightened out. "Alec loved Jace at one point, but it's not like he still does. It was different."

"He never said a word about it though," Isabelle chimed in. This time, Magnus didn't stop her from talking. "For the longest time, I was the only one that knew. My parents… they wouldn't be very accepting of it, so Alec never wanted them to find out. He did his best to not be who he wanted to just to make them happy."

Clary nodded, starting to piece together small parts of the puzzle. Even if Alec didn't hate Clary, he still didn't care for her because she got Jace when he couldn't. She couldn't really blame him though. If someone else had Jace at this point, she wouldn't exactly be kind to that person. Hell, she'd probably try to break them up. She's already got experience in that department.

"That's a lot of have bottled up inside," Clary finally said, dropping her head a bit.

Isabelle nodded. "He's my brother, and I love him to death, but it worries me how he never shows it. I try my best to hide it for him, keeping my parent locked on everything I do. Like if they start getting suspicious, I'll do something completely stupid and idiotic to throw them off of Alec and back on me."

"And he's thanked you a thousand times for that," Magnus inputted.

She smiled. "I just care about him."

"As do I."

"Can I ask something?" Clary, being the girl she is, actually raised her hand like a child to get their attention. Magnus nodded, gesturing towards her. "Okay, why is Alec so against his parents knowing?"

"They're lawyers, so they have to be completely focused on their cases in order to win them," Isabelle explained. "And they're very old fashioned. They still believe that races should stay separate, that white people should marry white people, that black people should marry black people, and that men and women should get married."

"Which is why I'm not the best suitor at this point." Magnus pointed to himself. "I'm part Asian, and I'm gay. If they knew the second part, they'd fire me in a heartbeat. Bye, bye, Butler Bane. I'd be ancient history."

"They're not going to find out," Isabelle insisted quickly. It sounded like it was for her own reassurance more than Magnus's though.

Clary wasn't so optimistic. "You act like Magnus and Alec can just keep a secret the whole time." She cocked her head to the side, looking at Magnus with questioning eyes. "Can you do that? Can you actually live a lie?"

"Living a lie is easy," he answered with confidence. "Living with liars is hard."

"What's the difference?"

"How is she?" a new voice, a man's voice, said as another group made its way down the adjacent hallway. Magnus, Isabelle, and Clary all stilled on the floor, looking to the right and waiting. "Is there any change?"

"Not yet. She's still the same as she was three months ago."

"Isn't there something you can do?"

Then they finally made it around the corner. It was a group of three, one average, older man, one woman, and one boy about Clary's age. Her eyes widened when she noticed who they were.

Luke was looking frantic as he talked with his hands, oblivious to the three teenagers on the floor twenty yards away. He was looking rough too. A lumberjack, torn, red and black plaid shirt covered his upper body with a raggedy white t-shirt. His hair was a mess. His glasses were at least clean and not broken. And his jeans had paint stains all over them, along with his boots.

Then there was Simon. What they were doing here is still a mystery, but he looked like the third wheel right now. While Luke and Caterina, yes Caterina, walked and talked, he just followed with his head down and his hands in his pockets.

"There's nothing else," Caterina insisted. "We've done all we can for your wife, and if she wakes up, it's because she wanted to."

Luke didn't look too convinced. "You said that it wouldn't take this long."

"Luke, we can only do so much for her. A friend of mine is flying in to look at her, but that's all we can do. He's an expert at this kind of thing, so I'm hoping he could provide some insight upon arrival. Just be patient."

"Uh, guys?" Simon asked. Clary's eyes drifted from the arguing pair to his as he stopped behind them, his eyes wide and big as he stared at her. "You might want to take this privately."

Luke looked back at Simon, ready to ask why when he just followed his gaze instead. His eyes met Clary's, and he had the same reaction as Simon did. "Clary, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." She rose to her feet, Magnus and Isabelle following suite. On the bright side, all of the tears were gone from everyone's face and they looked somewhat civilized.

Caterina scanned the teenage group, stopping a few feet away from. "You three aren't permitted to be back here."

"They're with me," Magnus insisted, stepping forward. "I'll keep them all under control."

Caterina seemed to think about that before nodding, addressing Luke again. "Anyway, as for Jocelyn Fairchild, the only thing I can do is–"

"WHAT?" Clary practically screamed out. Suddenly, everything faded away. There was no Alec problem. No Jace anger issues. No Isabelle worries and Magnus struggles. No Simon. No Luke. Just Clary and Caterina. She took a threatening step forward, to which Caterina raised an eyebrow in return. "Excuse me, but _what_ about my _mother_?"

It suddenly got very quiet. No one spoke for a long time, all of them looking at Clary, back to Luke, back to Clary, over to Caterina. The only person who wasn't looking at her, she noticed, was Simon. He was staring at the floor, hands in his pockets, and looking anywhere but the gazes being thrown his way. Then, as if a switch was flipped, almost everyone spoke at once.

"Holy shit. Your mother?" Luke exclaimed.

"You're Jocelyn's child?" Caterina asked incredulously. Her eyes widened with realization, and that's when Clary knew her assumptions were correct.

"Simon, you hid this from her?" Isabelle shouted with cold eyes directed at him.

"Like we don't have big enough problems already. Let's just add to them, why don't we?" Magnus mumbled.

"Here we go," Simon mumbled, putting his head in his hands as all hell broke loose in the back hallway.

* * *

Jace's eyes slowly fluttered open. Ever so slowly, the room around him came into focus. White walls. White tile floors. A single suspended TV. White bed sheets. Grey chairs. One of which had a young Max, curled up and eyes closed as he slept with his head on the arm rest.

He tried to recall what happened, how he even ended up here, but nothing was coming. One minute, he was yelling his heart out of Magnus and then everything went blank. There wasn't a single spark of recollection, nothing that he could remember.  
Anxiety took over at the realization that he still hadn't seen Alec though. Whatever the hell happened to him kept him from his original goal. As quickly as it came, the anxiety changed and shifted into anger at the thought that someone, somehow, got in his way and seriously screwed him over. What if Alec woke up and noticed that Jace wasn't there? What if he was awake now? Jace should be by his best friend's side, no matter the cost.

He moved to sit up, and then realized that he couldn't. His hands were restrained, along with his torso, and he bent his head to see what was keeping him.

"What the hell is this?" He pulled softly, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to break it. And sure enough, the metal of the handcuffs just jingled against the bed frames to his side.

After a few tugs with no success, Jace collapsed back against the bed. He was annoyed. All he wanted was to get up and see his friend, but the world wouldn't let him. It was such bullshit. Why was everyone so against him right now? Instead of shouting questions to the empty room with no answers, he closed his eyes again, trying to calm himself. It was the only thing he could actually do at this point.

He wasn't sure how long he just laid there, wide awake with nowhere to go. Max was passed out, so he might as well have been alone. His luck started to change though when the door opened, and Jace peaked out from under his eyelids to see his favorite redhead walk through the door.

Once she turned, he immediately closed his eyes again. For some reason, he always found it more intriguing when she didn't know he was awake. She was different when she thought she was alone, and although he had a tone of questions, this was her show. Her posture alone gave away the fact that something was wrong, or worse than whatever happened to Alec.

So he laid quietly, listening to the sound of her footsteps as she approached his head. There was the squeaking sound of a sliding chair, and suddenly his hand was grabbed by two of hers. "You have no idea how much I need you right now."

Those words alone would have broken him, and he almost opened his eyes to tell her he was right here, but she continued too quickly.

"It's not that it doesn't make sense, because it does, you know? It's typical behavior of my family at least. My dad turns into an alcoholic and footballaholic, if that's what you call it. My brother is a sexaholic. And my mom… We're a family of disaster after disaster. One giant wrecking ball that destroys everything we touch."

Jace did his best not to tense when he felt her head press against his side. Only one hand grabbed his now, as the other was pulling at his shirt. Her face was buried in the fabric, gripping it like a lifeline. "I just want things to be easy for once," she whispered. "I don't want to think about everyone else. I don't want to care about my brother, my dad, or my mom that ditched me and then got herself knocked into her own state of unconsciousness. I just want to be able to stay with you, even when you can't even hear me, and forget the rest of the world. I want it all to fade away for once. I want… I want to get away."

He wanted that more than anything too. It was so easy to picture! Even in such a short time, he could actually see himself with Clary, isolated and alone with no worries in their own little space. The details weren't there, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be there. If he could, he would, but he also knew there were so many reasons he couldn't.

"But you have the Lightwoods," Clary continued. "They're like your family, and you're living with Michael. He's like your father now. Even if you're not blood related, I can't tear you apart from them. I know how you are with Isabelle and Alec, and I can't be the one to–"

"You won't be," Jace finally said. His voice must have shocked her, because she looked up from his torso with wide eyes. They were shining, but certain sadness was eating away at her from the inside.

She broke eye contact first, leaning back and playing with her hands in her lap. "I thought you were still asleep," she mumbled after a few seconds.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Jace smiled, remembering their time when she drew him a few days ago outside, but it faltered when she didn't return it. "I tend to fake it a lot apparently. Clary, you mentioned that–"

"Did you want to hear about Alec?"

That wasn't what he was going to ask, but it was obvious she was trying to keep him from saying it. So instead, he just nodded.

Clary leaned forward again, and grabbed his hand that was still chained to the bed. Her fingers played with his, like she was preoccupying her mind as she spoke. While she spoke, one or two stray tears fell down her cheeks. Jace squeezed her hand because it was all he could. He couldn't reach up and brush the tears away. He couldn't tuck her hair behind her ear when it fell in her face. He couldn't pull her down and hold her to his chest like she needed. He was just useless as he lied there, bound so he wouldn't hurt anybody.

But once the news was out, and he was caught up to speed, he didn't think he was strong enough to help her. The fact that he might not ever see Alec's eyes, hear him talk, or fight with him in the gym again was…

"Holy shit," Jace exclaimed as his head collapsed against the pillows. He looked up at the ceiling, eyes wide and shocked. "Holy fucking shit. Holy mother fucking shit."

Her hands were on his face instantly, and suddenly her face was in his lines of vision. "Are you–" she stopped herself, shaking her head. "Actually, never mind. I know you're not."

"This is so fucked up. I don't even have to mean to hurt people in order for me to do the damaging."

Her hands came up, cupping his face lightly as she studied him. "Jace, you know that there isn't anything you can do. Don't beat yourself up over this."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't believe her. "If I hadn't have kept him after practice, even after Michael left our first private practice, then he wouldn't have–"

"I told you that we don't know what happened." She gripped his face tighter as he tried to look away, and she pulled his eyes back to hers. "And until we do, anything could've happened. The brakes could've given out. It could've been an alignment issue. Hell, I don't know, but I know that it's not your fault."

There was a knock at the door, quiet enough to keep Max asleep but loud enough so they could hear it. Both teenagers turned their gaze to see Magnus standing there.

He eyed the two of them carefully, before pulling hands out from behind his back to reveal a key. "Jace," he warned, looking at Jace warily. "Are you going to be able to handle yourself this time?"

Jace nodded, and without another word, Magnus tossed Clary the keys, closing the door again.

"I'm guessing you want out of these?" Clary teased, touching the handcuffs with her fingers. Even though her heart wasn't in it, he smiled a bit at her to ease the mood. "Will you be a good boy?"

"I'll be anything you want me to be." She laughed lightly, and started to work on his left hand. "A good boy," he said and once his hand was released, he grabbed her. Without warning, he yanked her towards him, but didn't kiss her. Their faces were inches apart as Jace had quickly sat up, and he smirked down at her. "Or a bad boy."

"Jace." Her voice gave away what she really wanted. There was a hint of a warning, a hint of wanting, and a hint of a plea.

But he knew that now wasn't the time and place. For the first time in a long time, he dropped the act. "I know," he mumbled, letting Clary go and falling back on the bed. "Not the time, place, or situation. I got it."

She silently undid his other hand, and he was finally free of his bonds. Her hand gripped his, squeezing slightly. "Do you want to see him?"

Jace's eyes shot to hers. "Alec?" She nodded. "I don't think I can. I can't handle that right now," he said, dropping his gaze and sitting up. He pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around them like a child. Clary immediately went to his side, her hands rubbing his back. "Is that bad that I don't want to see him?"

"You have reasons not to see him, so I don't think so."

"He's like my brother though. I feel like I should–"

"Do what's best for you," Clary finished for him. That wasn't exactly what he was going to say. "That's all you need to do. Alec is in good hands, so you just need to do what's best for you at this point."

"Sometimes I feel what's best for me is to get away. To go somewhere no one can find me, and stay there for hours on end until I get my head straight."

Clary's hand went to his hair, playing with the curls. His eyes closed at the sensation. "Why don't you?"

He shrugged. "Something always comes up that's more important than my need for space." He took a deep breath, sighing louder than necessary. "Like now. All I want to do is get away, but I have the game tomorrow. And without Alec, the team needs me now more than ever. I can't just disappear for a few days. Isabelle needs me. Magnus, sadly, is going to need me. And Max…"

His eyes drifted over to the boy on the chair, still sound asleep. He looked so innocent, so young, so helpless and Jace knew that out of everyone, Max was the one he really needed to watch out for. He couldn't just leave while Alec was the way he was.

"I have to stay here," he finally said through the silence. He looked up, meeting Clary's eyes that were full of concern and worry. "As much as I want to leave at times, I know that there is no way I can."

She nodded, understanding his reasoning, and put her forehead against his. One of his hands instinctively came up to cup her cheek as he breathed her in. Something about her always left him breathless when she was like this. So caring, so loving, and so his.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him trapped against her. "Jace," her voice brushed against his face, heating it and causing sensations that he'd never knew he needed or wanted. "Just know that while you're here for everyone else, I'm here for you."

He nodded, knowing that one day, she'd be the rock he'd have to lean on otherwise he would break. The problem was that left her open for the pain he was feeling.

The last thing he wanted was for her to get caught in the crossfire because that's the last thing Jace wanted. He'd do anything to keep her safe from the darkest parts of himself, from her family, from anyone that would hurt her, but Sebastian's words kept ringing through his head to shoot him down every time.

_You'll try to keep her safe. That doesn't mean she will be safe._

It was terrifying to think that he wouldn't be able to protect her, to be there for her. Jace's grip on her tightened as his mind raced, his arms wrapping around her waist. The bed frame was in the way, but she got the message and pressed against him where the room allowed, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

They didn't speak. All they did was hold each other as tight as possible, listening to the sound of Max's deep breaths, the beeping monitors around the room, and the sound of voices outside the door. IF this was all that Jace could have, just the girl in his arms at the moment, then he'd be okay. He had to keep repeating it to himself, over and over again, that he'd be okay if Clary was there. He might break at some point, but he had a strong belief that she'd be there to pick him back up. His faith in her, something that grew too quickly in such a short amount of time, was officially his lifeline. Even if he hated to admit it, he needed her more than she needed him.

Or so he thought.

It wasn't until he registered that she was shaking that something was wrong. At first, they were just holding each other, and then he felt her tears on his neck and her body shake under his arms.

"Clary?" Jace tightened his grip, worry setting inside of him. She shook her head, burying it deeper when he tried to pull back to look at her. He let her win, stopping his attempts to push her back and let her hold him like she needed. "What's going on?"

It took a while before she was actually able to speak. Jace did his best to try to calm her down and stop the tears. The thing was, he isn't good at this kind of thing. He'd never really had to comfort people since he surrounded himself with people who can take care of themselves. Alec didn't talk. Isabelle was as strong as a lion and didn't show weakness, and Robert and Maryse, Isabelle's parents, were just like their daughter.

So now, having his girlfriend crying on his shoulder, and actually wanting to help her was new to him. If this was Aline, he'd have pushed her off and left. But Clary wasn't Aline, and Jace wasn't the same as he was two weeks ago.

"I'm sorry," Clary finally said. He didn't realize that she'd finally stopped shaking and crying, but didn't pull away from him. She talked into his neck, the feeling of her breath on his skin making his hair stand up on end. "It's just… I don't know… She's just–"

"Clary, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready yet," he whispered, twisting his head to kiss her hair. "I'm here for you," he repeated her earlier words with just as much emotion, "With or without the details."

"It's my mom," she breathed out, clinging to him like white on rice. "She's here."

Jace was immediately brought to full attention. "Here?"

"Yeah," she sniffed, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, she pulled back.

Jace's heart broke at the look on her face. It was destroyed. Her eyes were red. Her cheeks were tear stained. Her hair was a mess, although everything about her was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

He didn't really know what to say though. He wasn't sure any words could actually help. "What can I do to help?"

Her hand came up, touching his cheek as she took slow, deep breaths. The green, captivating orbs searched his eyes, going back and forth from one to another. "This isn't the best idea, but please, just get me out of here, Jace. Please."

* * *

**REVIEW :D Again, there weren't too many reviews last time and my motivation kind of dropped. If you want the story to come faster, you have to tell me. PM works well too! **

**And before you all freak out, Alec. Will. Not. Die. He's one of my favorites, so there's no way I'm killing him off, but I needed something dramatic, and he just happened to fit the bill. Sad, but true. You'll see him again though, so be patient with me. **

**Stay tuned :)**


	15. Chapter 15 - More Surprises

**School and soccer is hell, so I'm apologizing for the shortness right now. I feel bad, I do, but as of now, this is as far as I've gotten when it comes to writing. And you all have waited long enough! Sorry again!**

* * *

It almost felt like a dream to him, like it didn't really happen. He knew that it was just his mind tricking him, trying to get him to forget the pain, but he couldn't. Every detail from the night at the hospital was still in his head, forcing its way to the front of his brain when he tried to shut it out. Like how a dam broke. No matter how much Jace pushed against it, willed it to go away, it just flooded back faster than he could stop it.

If only there was something that he could do. He wanted to help, needed to help, but felt like a child. The adults told him no, told him he was too uncontrollable to even be of any help at all. Especially Caterina and Magnus. He wasn't a fan of Jace being around Alec at all. Isabelle said that until Jace could cool off, that it was best he stayed away as well. It felt like everyone who he was close to was against him.

It just wasn't fair! Yes, when he lost his parents, he didn't take it very well. In fact, he handled it terribly, but he couldn't help it. He was a wreck! Then Kaelie didn't make it much better, making it to the point he almost lost his mind. Jace remembered the pain, all the holes that he had punched into walls, all the random fights he'd start and people he'd pick on. Sure, he wasn't good at dealing with this type of stuff, he knew that. In fact, he was generally surprised that he hadn't beat the shit out of somebody yet, honestly.

The only thing keeping him from snapping was the current redhead in his arms. If it wasn't for her…

He didn't even want to think about it. For once, this wasn't about him and his need for violence in order to cope. Even if he felt like he wanted to vent, that wasn't what was important yet. His job was to help Clary with her motherly issues, which were far worse than he ever expected.

His arms tightened around her thinking about it, pulling her closer to his chest. In her sleepless state, she snuggled into his bare chest, her legs intertwining with his and every part of her brushing ever part of him. He liked this, more than he probably should. And it wasn't for reasons like that. Just having her with him, asleep in his arms and her arms wrapping around him like he was her lifeline, was enough for him. She fit perfectly with him on the bed, like she was meant to be there.

He felt her and heard her sigh in contentment when the sun broke through the window. She'd actually gotten a night's sleep after the crying episode, unlike him. He hadn't been able to even drift in and out of it. No part of his body was ready to sleep, not while her story was still a mystery to him.

"How long have you been up?" Clary's voice made his grip tighten, if that was even possible. Something about hearing it first thing in the morning, sleeping and groggy, made him crazy.

"I never slept in the first place."

He expected her to be upset, to frown, or something. But all he got was a look of confusion and concern. "You stayed up all night?"

Jace nodded, finding it hard to find his voice when her hand slid up his chest. The covers had slid down to their waists at some point in the night, and feeling her fingers dip and curve with his muscles was more distracting than it should've been. Normally, he'd dismiss it but it was almost all he could think about. That, and the fact that he'd do almost anything to get her out of those clothes if she kept it up.

Goose bumps erupted along his skin when she twisted her head, kissing his neck gently. He felt her smile against his skin, and his hand tightened in the fabric of her tank top, slowly exposing the skin at her hip. His restraint could only last so long at this rate. His hand gently rubbed over her, touches as light as feathers, and it only caused her own teasing on his neck to increase.

She paused momentarily though, catching his attention slightly before planting on last open mouth kiss. "Jace?"

"Mmm?"

She lifted her head, and his eyes finally met her green ones. She looked exhausted, despite the bit of sleep she got. There were dark circles. They were blood shot. Her hand came up, tracing along his jaw and touching all across his face. "Jace, you need to sleep."

He shrugged slightly, gripping her hip in a tight grip, keeping her still and unmoving next to him. "I'm not tired."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not a liar," he answered, smiling up at her. Surprisingly, he really wasn't. The way her hand touched his face and chest and having her close to him made him more awake than ever. The last thing he wanted was to fall asleep when those green orbs were all he wanted to see. "I promise you."

She didn't look too convinced. Her eyes danced back and forth between his as he fingers lingered along his face. "I thought we had a deal about that kind of thing."

"A deal?"

She nodded. "No promises, and no commitments."

Jace slit his eyes slightly, cocking his head to the side in the way he knew she loved. "I thought that deal broke when you became my girlfriend. Well, at least the second half, and I'd like to break the first so I can treat you right. I don't plan on half-assing our relationship. Or was I just hallucinating when that finally happened?"

"If you were, then I was too," she smiled, looking down at his lips. He closed his eyes when her finger ghosted over them, and he waited for her to take charge and finally siege his mouth with hers. But it never came. "But... it's not my fault, is it? About your lack of sleep?"

His eyes widened at her assumption. "No, Clary. Of course not." Her hands stopped their roaming, and she was starting to sit up when he stopped her, pulling her back down to the mattress. "Umm, where do you think you're going?"

"Jace, you need your sleep and–"

"I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to." As if to prove his point, he leaned up, kissing her cheek, the corner of her mouth, and finally her lips. It wasn't long, a few seconds tops, but it was enough to get the taste of what he craved more than anything. He didn't pull back either, and his breath brushed across her face as he spoke. "Having you like this, with me, alone… sleeping is the last thing that I want."

Even that didn't seem to convince her enough though. "But you're game tonight–"

"Clary, stop."

She did, shutting her mouth and biting her lip to keep anymore words from coming out. It was probably the sexiest thing he'd seen in a while when it was mixed with the mess of curls and sleepwear. If she really wanted him to sleep, she'd have to cut the shenanigans and give him a chance to relax.

He slowly reached up to her face, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Can we forget about the game tonight? I already called Michael and he cancelled it so–"

Her eyes widened. "He what? Why?"

"He heard about Alec, and what's done is done. I can't play today, not like this. The last thing I'd be able to concentrate on his football. The whole team is breaking down at this point, at least those that were awake. Michael knew that school probably wouldn't be the best idea for any of us."

"Okay," she whispered, staring at his face like she was studying it. After a while, she took a deep breath. "Jace, about yesterday–"

He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about what happened."

"You don't have to, but–"

"I'm not doing it." Jace gripped Clary's face in his tightly, shaking his head a few times. "I can't see Alec yet. I can't see any of them. Isabelle. Magnus. Max. It's hard, and I'm not ready for that." He took a small breath, looking down between them before meeting her eyes again. His forehead pressed to hers, and he pinched his eyes shut when the memories of pain took over. "Don't make me do it."

She nodded, gripping his own face in her hands. He actually liked the feeling, the softer caring touches. He never even thought about it. Most of the time, it was just rough and quick, but Clary took everything slower and careful lately, and he didn't even mind for once. "Okay, okay. I won't."

Jace nodded, finally accepting that he didn't have to go back to that awful place. Nothing good ever happened in hospitals. He that he should. He felt like shit leaving Alec there, Isabelle, Magnus, all to do it on their own, but he couldn't bring himself to want to go back. He'd finally accepted that there was nothing he could do. So what was the point of sitting there in those stupid waiting rooms, doing nothing?

His mind was just racing, not sure what he should or shouldn't do, as Clary kissed him chastely. He wanted more, leaning forward to get it, but she slipped from his grasp on the bed.

He leaned his head up curiously, looking at her with a sideways glance in her tank top and panties. "Where you think you're going?"

She looked back at him as she walked towards the bathroom. "It's morning. I wreak. A shower is much needed."

"Can I come?" He leaned up, smiling at her with his most dashing grin of white teeth he could come up with.

Clary just shrugged when she reached the doorway. The way she perched herself on the side, one arm up with her legs twisted and the smile on her face made those feelings Jace had come back again. All the lust, the need to have her next to him and kiss her until the sun went down and then some more.

Just to keep himself under control, he pulled his hand through his hair, trying to calm his raging hormones. "Please? You're killing me, woman!"

She looked back into the bathroom, then back at him. "If you really want to…" Jace's heart stopped for a split second, thinking it was about to actually happen. His hand froze in his hair and his eyes widened. Then, all hope was shattered as she stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.

When he heard the lock turn, it took all his self-control not to break the fucking thing down.

So he did what he could to occupy himself, including making breakfast for the girl that seemed to be the only thing keeping him together and ripping him apart.

* * *

Clary smiled to herself when she stepped out of the bathroom in Jace's oversized t-shirt and yoga pants. Her hair was up in one of the messy buns, small droplets of water escaping every once in a while. The door shut behind her, leaving her in Jace's bedroom alone in the daylight, and she finally got a good look at the place.

It was surprisingly… clean. No dust. No pictures. No art. No color. Just white walls, with white carpet, white sheets, and a brown desk and chair. Last night, when they came back, she didn't get a chance to see it in the dark, and it wasn't what she expected his room to look like. The plain look, yes. But the clean look? No. Did he have OCD or something?

Was the rest of the house like this?

She decided to explore, thinking that maybe Michael Wayland made Jace act like that. It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it was just strange.

What she saw wasn't cleanliness though. When she stepped out in the hallway, all she saw was pictures after pictures after more pictures. She had seen Michael Wayland at school, so she knew it was his family when she saw another woman and a child of about five years of age in between them. It was a typical family picture. And although she knew that Michael's family was no longer with him, she didn't know why. Her curiosity might get the best of her at times, but she wasn't about asking those kinds of questions.

And even if she wanted to know, she knew that Jace was in no situation to talk about it or anything in general. He wasn't in the right state of mind to chat and neither was she.

So instead of letting her mind dwell like she wanted to, she started to walk down the hall of the wooden cabin, scanning over the pictures and portraits. Then, she saw it.

Jace's family.

It was more than obvious it was his as the three of them sat on a park bench surrounded by trees and leaves. Actually, it was like a slap in the face. Jace was a spitting image of his father, especially as the young teenager. Same blond curls. Same build. Same face structure. His mother even had the blond hair that he shared. No wonder Jace was so drop dead gorgeous. His parents were just as beautiful, and he definitely inherited the best of both of them.

"Their names were Stephen and Celine." Clary jumped at the sound of his voice, and twisted to see Jace at the end of the hallway. He was still shirtless, as proud as ever, and leaned against the wall as he watched her. His arms crossed over his chest, studying her with his golden gaze.

His face wasn't upset, but curious, so she asked, "Your real parents?"

He nodded, not looking too upset about it. "Their blood runs through my veins. That picture was actually taken four years ago at Christmas. My mother insisted on having all the pictures, portraits, memories down on paper so I'd never forget. All she wanted was for me to remember." He looked down, smiling at the ground. "It was back when my grandfather was still alive too. Our family was actually together and happy."

Clary didn't really know what to say. For once, her mouth wouldn't just talk. She was actually at a loss for words.

So she stayed still and quiet as Jace took slow steps forward, talking as he went. "They went to East Alicante too, you know. Along with the Lightwoods and my parents. My dad, Stephen, was a star quarterback, and my mom was the captain of the cheerleading team." He laughed to himself when he finally reached her, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his side. She snuggled there happily, wrapping her arms around him. "They were that ideal couple when they started dating, and everyone knew them, loved them, cared about them. They might as well have been famous."

"So much different than us," Clary mumbled, and she didn't exactly mean for him to hear it.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jace pulled back, looking down at her with a confused expression. "You want to be known as the ideal couple? I figured someone like you, a headstrong and stubborn rebel, wouldn't care what the rest of the school thought."

Clary twisted in his arms, reaching up to wrap hers around his neck. "I don't care what others think."

"Good, because this is what I think," was all that he said until her mind started to turn to mush. His lips pressed to hers softly, but it was enough to make her want to lose her mind. In fact, everything about him made her go crazy for reasons she couldn't explain. Even the simplest touch or kiss could drive her to madness.

And her control faltered almost instantly as she roughly grabbed his curls in her fingers and pulled him even closer. He eagerly responded to her movements acutely, his hands gripping her hips and lifting her. Their movements were like messages to each other as Clary wrapped her arms around his hips and he pushed her up against the wall. His body pressed against hers and effectively trapped her there. It was a bit unnecessary, considering she wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon, but the trapped position was more than welcomed.

Never in a million years had she thought she'd need something like this. Something so drastic, so quick, and so perfect to her. All her life she wanted to be that girl that could handle everything on her own. The last the she wanted was to be dependent on someone. Just the idea used to make her sick, because if you couldn't take care of yourself, you were weak. Even then, being dependent on Jace like this was something that she actually welcomed for once.

Maybe because it was different. She didn't need Jace for his money. She didn't need him for a place to live, for food, water. She didn't need him to survive, but she needed him to _live_. This was different than her need for Isabelle's kindness and home, for her father's money. This was something entirely, completely, and totally different.

Clary pulled back for some air, not much space between them, but enough. Jace, surprisingly, didn't continue either. He looked up at her from her compromising position on his waist, and smiled at her.

"What are you so… smiley about?" she asked. Her fingers danced along the back of his neck, down his bare chest, across his collarbone, and back up to his hair as she met his eyes again. His eyes were darker than she'd ever seen, and she felt her mouth open and breathing falter with the amount of emotion in his gaze.

His smile only grew as his grip tightened on her legs. "You're flustered." He chuckled as she pushed his shoulder lightly. "And you know it too."

She looked into his golden eyes, trying to deny it but knowing that she couldn't. It was as true as the sun rising every day, and she opened her mouth to fight back with a retort that she didn't have when something caught her eyes.

It was another picture, but one that she wasn't prepared to see. It was prom. A simple, older prom picture with multiple couples doing the typical pose as they all looked at the camera, but…

"That's my mom," Clary whispered, staring at the picture to the right of Jace's head. He twisted his head to the opposite wall of the hallway, looking at it curiously as Clary reached out, pointing to it. "That's my mom when she went to prom."

Jace placed her on the floor but kept his hand on her back, letting her step forward to get a closer look.

Sadly, she didn't remember seeing these types of pictures of her mother and father. They looked happy, something that was definitely foreign to her family in the past year. Her mother was smiling in the grey prom dress, looking as beautiful as ever. Her red hair was styled to perfection and had an elegant beauty about her. Even her father actually had a genuine caring smile in his tux.

It was so different from seeing her mother in a hospital like she had last night. The prom picture looked like a fantasy, while the hospital was the reality that hit Clary like a freight train.

_ "How bad is it?" she asked, standing outside of her mother's room. She was refusing to even look. Her back was to the door. Fighting the anger and hurt was hard enough, and trying to look at her mother and do that… it would all come crashing out._

_ Simon stood next to her, leaning back with his head against the wall and his eyes closed. "It hasn't been very good for a while."_

_ She nodded, not saying anything else. She couldn't. It hurt knowing that Simon had known. It hurt knowing that she had trusted him to some point, that she cared about him, and he knew where her mother was the whole time. He knew, and he hadn't said a word. He kept her in the dark about it since their first meeting. What kind of friend does that?_

_ And Luke… he was just as much of a dick as Simon was as far as Clary was concerned. She knew that boys were stupid and oblivious, but Luke had to figure it out. While Simon looked upset about it, Luke looked genuinely shocked when he had found out. It was such bullshit!_

_ "I'm sorry," Simon whispered. Clary felt his gaze on her, but didn't look back at him. "Clary, I'm really, really sorry. I wanted to tell you. I did! But I couldn't bring myself to do it."_

_ She shot him a look, a glaring 'I hate you' kind of look. "I'm not forgiving you. You kept my mother from me."_

_ Simon sighed, rubbing his arm like he was looking for something to do. He looked so small, like a child getting scolded by his mother. At least Clary could make him feel bad about it. "I knew how it would affect you if you knew, so I wanted to keep you from any more pain."_

_ Her anger only started to grow with each word her spoke. "I can handle my own pain. You had no right to keep my mother's safety from me. She's in a coma, Simon!"_

_ "I was keeping you from it for a good reason. There isn't anything you can do." He tried to reach down to grab her hand, but Clary didn't let him. She wrapped her arms around her torso, looking away from him. He dropped his hand reluctantly. "There's nothing any of us can do. You've already got a messed up brother, a father that doesn't care. And finally, even though I hate Jace with a passion, you find someone who at least seems like he cares. You seem happy with him, and I didn't want to drop a bomb like your mother on an already messed up life."_

_ She scoffed, shaking her head. "Yeah, messed up is the word. Fucked up is the true statement. I still would've wanted to know."_

_ Simon nodded, glancing down before looking back up at her again. "You want me to tell you then?"_

_ At that, she wasn't entirely sure. It had been years since she'd seen her mother, heard from her, or heard anything about her. She was practically a ghost. But now, Simon was about to tell her everything that's happened, everything that Clary had been wondering for years, but was she ready for that? Could she handle it?_

_ After what felt like forever to her but was practically a few seconds, she finally nodded. Her gaze flicked to Simon's, worry written in every line of his face and hidden under his glasses. "Tell me."_

"Clary? Clary, what's going on?"

She snapped back to reality suddenly, and jumped back for some damned reason, like the picture scared her. Her body hit something rock solid behind her, tough arms wrapping around her torso and pulling her in. She settled into Jace's hot and heated embrace, breathing a bit harder than usual and staring at the picture with wide eyes.

"What was that about?" Jace asked into her hair, squeezing her tighter.

She reached up, running her hands over her face. "I – uh – I was just thinking about last night. About my mom."

Jace nodded, and put his chin on the top of her head. She felt warm, safe in his embrace, and welcomed every bit of it. "Did you want to talk about it? You mentioned it a bit last night, but you never did actually talk about it."

She considered it for a moment. It would be good to get it out. And this was Jace. She shouldn't be worried, should she? The only problem was it proved her entire family is a bunch of mental patients and they're all crazy. Would Jace actually want that?

Hell, she had to say it though. It was eating her alive and there was no way any of her current friends were suitable to talk to. "Yeah," she said. "I do, actually."

Jace nodded, kissing the top of her head. He didn't offer any more words, letting her take this how she wanted to. She could just spit it out, or beat around the bush, or let a little out until she probably broke down again. Even after considering the few options, she stepped out of Jace's embrace, stepping up to the picture again.

"It's so weird seeing them like this." Her hand reached out, brushing over her parents with her fingertips.

"Like what?"

Clary shrugged. "Happy." She could feel Jace's reluctance to speak again, probably because he didn't know what to say, so she continued. "I mean, I never really understood why she left. Jonathan knew more than I did, but my father never told us the whole story. She just never seemed… happy with him. It was all sadness, depression, and annoyance." She closed her eyes, dropping her hand before opening her eyes again. "And now I know why."

"What do you mean?"

"Simon explained it to me last night," she said. "My mother was a great actor and a great artist."

Her hand was suddenly engulfed in Jace's. He leaned against the wall, just like he did at school when they first met. Back then, he was the cocky, arrogant jerk that she wanted nothing to do with. But now, he was someone who held her when she broke, understood her, cared about her, and made her smile when she thought it wasn't possible.

She took a deep breath. "My mother cheated on my father, which is why she left."

Jace was quiet for a moment. "Was it with Luke?" She nodded in answer and he pulled her towards him. Her cheek pressed against his sternum, taking in his scent as she let him hold her. "How long?"

"I was four when it started apparently. And almost eight years later, my dad found out. That's why my mother left us. That's why she disappeared with no explanation. She… she never cared."

Jace's thumb started to rub circles on her arm, and she found the gesture soothing. To her own surprise, she didn't feel betrayed or upset at the moment. She was just talking about it, leaving the feelings out.

"Simon told me that lately, for reasons that Luke did understand, she started to get a bit crazed. Maybe the regret and pain started to get to her. I don't really know. I kind of like the idea that she hated herself for what she did." Clary finally glanced up at Jace. He was watching her with a keen eye. "Does that make me a bad person?"

He shook his head. "It makes you human, and you were hurt by your mother. I don't blame you."

"I just feel like it's wrong to feel like that. All I did was wonder after she left, wonder what I did. My dad always blamed me, so I figured it was true. That question has always been stuck on my mind. And now she's in a coma for the stupidest reasons and I can't even ask her!" Clary tried to pull away from Jace, but he wasn't having it. His grip on her hand tightened, and with a defeated sigh, she stopped fighting him. "It was the pills, you know."

"What was?"

"The reason for the head trauma." She stepped away from Jace, leaning back against the wall as he dropped her hand. He didn't move with her, but studied her. Her back then pressed against the wall, and she looked to her feet. "She was depressed. Apparently, it got to her more than Luke even knew about. Whether it was the work, or me, or Jonathan, or even my father, something really got to her and sent her into a bad state of depression. He found her one day in the bathroom, the pill bottle on the floor with scattered white tablets and my mother. She hit her head on the bathtub and has been in the hospital ever since."

Clary sighed, leaning her head against the wall. Until she finally let it all out, it didn't actually hit her that it really happened like that. Sure, Simon said it and she understood basic English just as much as the next girl, but saying it out loud is what brought the real factor into it. And it was real. Really… real.

She gasped like she was hit by a truck. "Holy shit."

Jace, with a quickness that shouldn't be humanly possible, was by her side in an instant. "Clary?"

"Oh my – she's really – Jace, I didn't actually think that it – it really happened and it's just–"

"Hey, look at me." His hands came up to cup her face, forcing her eyes from the floor to his face. "If you have to, just let it all out. Don't fight it. Just let it go."

And she did. For so long that she lost track of time. The pain, the frustration, the betrayal, and the hurt was just too much for her to finally bare. Never, not once, did she ever show weakness. Normally, especially with her family, she tried her best to hide it because it only made things worse. Her family felt superior if they knew they could get to her, so she use to hide her feelings at all cost.

Not with Jace, though. Other than Sebastian, he was the first person that had seen her like this in a long time. He even handled it well. There were no words used, no pleas for her to stop, but just simple touches to let her know that he was there. She gripped at his shoulders, her tears flowing down his torso in between them as she tried in his neck. His own hands stayed on her back and in her hair, holding her as tightly as she was holding him.

Then, out of nowhere on a school day, the doorbell rang from downstairs. Clary sniffed, trying to gain her composure after her mental breakdown. "Who – who is that?"

Jace sighed, pulling away slightly. "Sebastian."

"Sebastian?" Clary wiped her eyes as they both finally separated. Jace's hand stayed on her back, though, like she might break again. "What is he doing here?"

"He called your phone this morning when you were in the shower, and last night when you were asleep. I told him you were here."

Her brows furrowed, glancing down the hall then back at Jace again. "And… and you said it was okay for him to come?"

Jace's jaw set. Clearly that wasn't the case. "It's not that I want him here, but you need him here. Even if I wish it was true, I'm not all you need to get through this. I have to deal with Izzy, Magnus, Max, and Alec, on top of my own demons at this point. You need someone like him, stable and understanding, to be here when I can't."

"But Jace–"

"Hey, it's okay." His hands grabbed her cheeks and leaned in, kissing her chastely on the lips. Her hands gripped his wrists, keeping him there until he pulled away. "I only want what's best for you. Who knows when I'll have to head to the hospital, and I don't want you alone. Heaven forbid that I call Simon for backup. He wouldn't survive that if you let him have it, and Izzy is in her own emotional state. So Verlac was my last resort. When he called, I just figured that it was best if he just came."

"I know, but–"

The doorbell rang again throughout the house. Jace sighed, tilting his head down the hall. "Your Dark Knight is getting impatient. And don't worry," he leaned forward, kissing her once more and smiled against her mouth. "You're guardian angel is still here now, and I will be for as long as I can."

"You know, I should've never showed you that drawing," she mumbled. "It only let your head get bigger than it should."

He smirked. "But you did anyway." He smiled genuinely then, grabbing her hand and leading her down the hall. "Come on, I made you breakfast and between me and Sebastian, we're going to help you if it's the last thing we do."

* * *

**Ideas? Review or PM to tell me what you want to happen next! I'm kind of running out of ideas, and I don't even know how I want this story to go yet either. So let me know. Stay tuned :)**


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